JVee Casio - B+
Obviously coach Toroman's PG of choice, Casio was able to come through in some games but looked out of his comfort zone in big time match-ups. Yes, he posted good numbers from time to time, but his lack of ability to adjust on the fly as a point guard caused dry spells for the PHL team none more so than in games versus China, Jordan and Korea.
Mark Barroca - B
He started two or three games, but never really played big minutes. In the games that he did however, Barroca was able to deliver. The only problem was, he wasn't given the freedom to slash into the paint like before (either by the defenses or by his own coach's choosing) and couldn't hit from the outside (the only weakness in his game). Still, pound for pound, I'd take Barroca over Casio from a floor general's standpoint. Too bad Toroman didn't.
Jimmy Alapag - A+
When Alapag won Most Valuable Player in the PBA, people called it a media buyout. That Alapag's best years were behind him, and they just gave it to him because he was the most recognizable/ likable guy on the Talk 'n' Text roster. Well, the game versus Korea just proved all of his haters wrong and if this is his last tour of duty (given his age), then he definitely out performed his younger counterparts while still coming off the bench.
Chris Tiu - B
I'll give him an A for effort and heart, a C for in-game contribution. Yes, he averaged 8 points a game in the first round, but it was quite painful to watch Tiu get outmatched every single time on the floor. To his credit, he didn't turn the ball over as much and fought hard whenever called upon, but his minutes could've easily gone to more deserving/ better players.
Chris Lutz - A
The minute he came back to the roster, Toroman stuck him at the SG position and was asked to be the team's stopper. He didn't score much and was even on foul trouble on plenty of occasions, but the PBA 2011 Draft's 3rd overall pick did a yeoman's job playing defense versus some of Asia's best.
Marcio Lassiter - B+
One minute he's battling and hustling, the other he's scoring from all over. Who knows what would've happened in the first round loss versus China had Lassiter and Lutz played? Sadly, the world isn't made on "what ifs" and we all have to move on from here. I see a future PBA star in Lassiter, and even discord between him and Casio once they share floortime at Powerade.
Mac Baracael - B-
Solid when called upon but clearly lost mental focus in the game versus Korea. The man was so happy to have played after back to back DNPs (thanks in part to Tiu and Lutz' foul woes) that he celebrated after converting on his patented baby teardrop and pointed to the bench! In a world without Tiu, Lutz and Lassiter would've alternated at the SG position and Baracael at SF. Against a team like Jordan, that could've made a world of difference in my book because we wouldn't have given up too much height to their guards and wings. I'm only giving him a low grade because he sat for so long.
Kelly Williams - B+
Tonight's Trending Topic is getting mad hate because of his two missed free throws that could've given us a one point lead. I say, the man has never been a great shooter, but what he lacks in skill he makes up for with fight. And boy did he fight. Jumping over bigger power forwards for putback slams and rebounds, Williams did more than what was expected of him as Marcus Douthit's garbage man sidekick.
Ranidel de Ocampo - A
Now this is the RDO that we all want to see. Shooting threes, banging in the paint for baby hooks and rebounding with elbows out-- RDO is arguably the best big man on the PHL roster not named Douthit. Again, I wouldn't have minded a Williams-RDO-Douthit frontline in the closing minutes of games but there are things that you'd just have to leave to your coaching staff I guess.
Japeth Aguilar - D
We saw some Kevin Garnett-ish like defense in the Jones Cup. What the hell happened to that Japeth? Don't let the double double in the Bahrain game fool you, Aguilar is still the same, gullible pogo stick of the last three years. He has put on weight, but has not improved. The athleticism is undeniable, but the skills continue to be questionable. He can't shoot, can't defend man-to-man and has no low post moves to speak of. He is pretty much what's wrong with PBA and Filipino players (all flash, no substance) today.
Marcus Douthit - A+
He's Euro-import ready. Thank you Douthit. If you leave for greener pastures, we'd understand, you carried this team on your back the entire tournament. We're sorry our guys couldn't help you out as much as we'd like them to.
Asi Taulava - B+
While he was used sparingly, Taulava made sure to run both ends of the floor at all times and box out. Taulava never had post-up skills to speak of (Dennis Espino, Eric Menk and Danny Ildefonso are better in the shaded lane than the 6"9 Fil-Tonggan) so him being relegated to an off-the-bench enforcer definitely a blessing. He's almost 40 now and has been representing our country in international meets for so long. If he begs off the team in 2013, then it's only fitting that we laud him for all he has done for Philippine basketball.
Rajko Toroman et. al. - A+
Superb coaching that only proved his selection as a work of genius by the SBP family then headed by Noli Eala. I hope he stays for the next incarnation of the SMART Gilas program, but if he moves on to another country and rebuilds that into a contender, I just hope that it's not in Asia.
How would you grade our national team?
Sunday, September 25, 2011
End of a dream; PHL 68 loses to KOR 70
What a heartbreaker for our national team and Filipino basketball fans who once dreamt of making it to the London Olympics.
Korea, in a furious 4th quarter rally, managed to upend the nationals behind the hot shooting of Sungmin Cho and Taejong Moon. What looked to be a comfortable 11 point lead evaporated the minute Jimmy Alapag sat for a breather after playing the entire 3rd quarter and sizzling for 14 points (17 in total).

Normally, we could rely on JVee Casio to make simple plays for his teammates. But that wasn't the case today as Casio failed to get into a rhythm and set-up his guys. I've said it before and I'll say it again, PGs are born and bred, not transformed within 3 years time. That's not a jab on Casio who has been clutch for our team the last year and a half, but a simple truth. Once Korea's defense started to tighten, Casio couldn't make adjustments on the fly and pretty much had no other alternative but to just dump it into Marcus Douthit--which Korea couldn't stop, but was ready for.
Some of the blame should also be passed to Mac Baracael, whose repeated choosing to go over screens set for Cho led to three open looks from deep which cost us the lead. But really, how can you put the blame on a guy who hasn't been playing the last two games and was brought in as a 3rd option (when he should be the lead guy at SF *with Marcio Lassiter moving down to SG of course which will never happen*)?
I will be the first to say this though: Rajko Toroman, for all his genius, made some bad in-game adjustments that decided the outcome.
Nevermind that he kept on playing an outmatched, hesitant and out-of-his-league Chris Tiu (I have no qualms with him playing against weaker Asian teams, but definitely not star player minutes versus the heavyweights), I'm going to point out some key tactical mistakes that I believe could've been addressed to turn the tides back in our favor.
1) Baracael on Cho
- Baracael was doing just fine guarding Moon who isn't as quick-footed as he may look. In one play, Baracael even more than held his own against a taller Moon who was looking to post him-up (not knowing that Baracael plays the power forward position from time to time with relative ease). The minute Baracael was asked to switch on Cho, that decided the outcome of the game. Granted, Tiu and Lutz were either in foul trouble or fouled out, but Toroman should've opted to have Lassiter on the quicker Cho instead.
2) Riding the "Mighty Mouse" to the hilt
- This is a tough one, because Alapag was down right Mighty Mouse-ing his way from downtown in the 3rd quarter and owning whichever defender was thrown his way. I feel that Toroman should've brought the reins in once we were able to build a comfortable lead in the 3rd and rested Alapag at the start of the 4th. As you know, Toroman sat Alapag at the 5th minute mark and brought him back for the last 2 with the game starting to be up for grabs.
3) Too much pressure on Casio
- Yes he is clutch. Yes he has saved us in one too many occasions. But Casio is not a point guard, he can call plays, he has handles, but what clearly separated him from Alapag was the latter's ability to make quick, in-game adjustments without turning the ball over while Casio's go-to move at the point was to either call a set play OR go iso and look for his shot. Every time Casio was on the floor, our national team looked erratic with the wings trying desperately to get into set positions in anticipation of passes instead of constantly moving (knowing that Alapag would find them wherever they may be) and Douthit being pulled out to provide double screens with either Kelly Williams or Ranidel de Ocampo.
The plays and players were all there, we fought hard with what we had but just came up short thanks to missed free throws and turnovers. There's nothing to be ashamed of because the mission was to reestablish Philippine basketball in Asia and not to magically turn the tables on our neighbors and crash the Olympics.
I say, mission accomplished SMART Gilas/ Philippine national team. We are all proud of you and wish everyone well on their future endeavors. Some will probably move on to become PBA stars, others (like Tiu and Douthit) would stay on. Hopefully, this setback challenges the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and chief financier Manny V. Pangilinan in creating another special group of Filipinos ready to take on the world by 2013 (there's already a huge Internet campaign out to have it held here in Manila).
Can you say Ravena-Alas-Parks-Slaughter-Douthit? With names like Jayson Castro, Junmar Fajardo and even ABL San Miguel Beer's Chris Banchero?
Oh, and Chris Tiu too.
Korea, in a furious 4th quarter rally, managed to upend the nationals behind the hot shooting of Sungmin Cho and Taejong Moon. What looked to be a comfortable 11 point lead evaporated the minute Jimmy Alapag sat for a breather after playing the entire 3rd quarter and sizzling for 14 points (17 in total).

Normally, we could rely on JVee Casio to make simple plays for his teammates. But that wasn't the case today as Casio failed to get into a rhythm and set-up his guys. I've said it before and I'll say it again, PGs are born and bred, not transformed within 3 years time. That's not a jab on Casio who has been clutch for our team the last year and a half, but a simple truth. Once Korea's defense started to tighten, Casio couldn't make adjustments on the fly and pretty much had no other alternative but to just dump it into Marcus Douthit--which Korea couldn't stop, but was ready for.
Some of the blame should also be passed to Mac Baracael, whose repeated choosing to go over screens set for Cho led to three open looks from deep which cost us the lead. But really, how can you put the blame on a guy who hasn't been playing the last two games and was brought in as a 3rd option (when he should be the lead guy at SF *with Marcio Lassiter moving down to SG of course which will never happen*)?
I will be the first to say this though: Rajko Toroman, for all his genius, made some bad in-game adjustments that decided the outcome.
Nevermind that he kept on playing an outmatched, hesitant and out-of-his-league Chris Tiu (I have no qualms with him playing against weaker Asian teams, but definitely not star player minutes versus the heavyweights), I'm going to point out some key tactical mistakes that I believe could've been addressed to turn the tides back in our favor.
1) Baracael on Cho
- Baracael was doing just fine guarding Moon who isn't as quick-footed as he may look. In one play, Baracael even more than held his own against a taller Moon who was looking to post him-up (not knowing that Baracael plays the power forward position from time to time with relative ease). The minute Baracael was asked to switch on Cho, that decided the outcome of the game. Granted, Tiu and Lutz were either in foul trouble or fouled out, but Toroman should've opted to have Lassiter on the quicker Cho instead.
2) Riding the "Mighty Mouse" to the hilt
- This is a tough one, because Alapag was down right Mighty Mouse-ing his way from downtown in the 3rd quarter and owning whichever defender was thrown his way. I feel that Toroman should've brought the reins in once we were able to build a comfortable lead in the 3rd and rested Alapag at the start of the 4th. As you know, Toroman sat Alapag at the 5th minute mark and brought him back for the last 2 with the game starting to be up for grabs.
3) Too much pressure on Casio
- Yes he is clutch. Yes he has saved us in one too many occasions. But Casio is not a point guard, he can call plays, he has handles, but what clearly separated him from Alapag was the latter's ability to make quick, in-game adjustments without turning the ball over while Casio's go-to move at the point was to either call a set play OR go iso and look for his shot. Every time Casio was on the floor, our national team looked erratic with the wings trying desperately to get into set positions in anticipation of passes instead of constantly moving (knowing that Alapag would find them wherever they may be) and Douthit being pulled out to provide double screens with either Kelly Williams or Ranidel de Ocampo.
The plays and players were all there, we fought hard with what we had but just came up short thanks to missed free throws and turnovers. There's nothing to be ashamed of because the mission was to reestablish Philippine basketball in Asia and not to magically turn the tables on our neighbors and crash the Olympics.
I say, mission accomplished SMART Gilas/ Philippine national team. We are all proud of you and wish everyone well on their future endeavors. Some will probably move on to become PBA stars, others (like Tiu and Douthit) would stay on. Hopefully, this setback challenges the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and chief financier Manny V. Pangilinan in creating another special group of Filipinos ready to take on the world by 2013 (there's already a huge Internet campaign out to have it held here in Manila).
Can you say Ravena-Alas-Parks-Slaughter-Douthit? With names like Jayson Castro, Junmar Fajardo and even ABL San Miguel Beer's Chris Banchero?
Oh, and Chris Tiu too.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Jordan continues big game dominance over PHL, wins 75-61
Another all-or-nothing, high stakes FIBA Asia match versus Jordan, another heartbreak for the Philippine men's basketball team.
For the third straight FIBA tournament, the Jordanians crushed all hopes of a gold or silver medal finish for team Philippines behind its naturalizes back court duo of Sam Daghlas (16 points) and Rasheim Wright (22). Throw in sweet shooting big man Zaid Abbas (14) who forced our frontline to guard well outside the shaded area and what you have is a recipe for a London dream-crusher.
Marcus Douthit (21) and JVee Casio (15) carried the fight for the hapless Philippine team that failed to receive additional firepower from its other guys. Marcio Lassiter, who has been the catalyst for this team in the second round, shot an abysmal 0/10 and was only good for 2 points the entire night. Jimmy Alapag, another fire starter and old reliable, went 0/6.
If anything, the Jordanians were able to solve the PHL puzzle by forcing it to play from the outside-in through its zone defense. Time and again PHL would bring the ball down facing a simple man-to-man defense, but once the first pass was made, the Jordanians would switch to a zone.
The zone took away Douthit's face-to-the-basket forays in the paint, neutralized our slashers and pretty much left our shooters free. On a good day, with names like Lassiter, Alapag, Lutz and Casio, you'd expect a blow-out. But it just wasn't our night, and no one outside of Douthit could play efficient, smart basketball.
My only beef is that perhaps Toroman could've gone with a different look, say more minutes for gung-ho slashers Mark Barroca and Mac Baracael (whose famed pesky defense could've stifled Wright or Daghlas at the very least). Sadly, their minutes went to mismatched shooting guard, 5"11, Chris Tiu who plays with 100% heart, but is not a special basketball player on either ends of the court.
Why? I don't know *cough* because he's MVP's boy *cough*
That being said, what does this loss mean for Philippine basketball?
Well, there's still 3rd place to be won tomorrow versus the loser of the China-Korea match that's currently on-going. The 2nd and 3rd placers in this tournament will qualify for a "last trip to London" FIBA tournament which may or may not be open to other teams outside of Asia (which would pretty much mean that it's almost impossible to win that one).
But in hindsight, 3rd place isn't all that bad. Not for this team anyway. The mission was never to make it to London (that would be the dream). The mission, right from the onset, was to re-establish the country as a basketball powerhouse. You'd be hard pressed to argue that this team, from Rajko Toroman to the last guy on the bench (Charles Tiu-- PHL's poster boy of an assistant coach), were able to do just that.
So congrats Pilipinas for a great showing and just lay it all out there tomorrow!
Marcus Douthit (21) and JVee Casio (15) carried the fight for the hapless Philippine team that failed to receive additional firepower from its other guys. Marcio Lassiter, who has been the catalyst for this team in the second round, shot an abysmal 0/10 and was only good for 2 points the entire night. Jimmy Alapag, another fire starter and old reliable, went 0/6.
If anything, the Jordanians were able to solve the PHL puzzle by forcing it to play from the outside-in through its zone defense. Time and again PHL would bring the ball down facing a simple man-to-man defense, but once the first pass was made, the Jordanians would switch to a zone.
The zone took away Douthit's face-to-the-basket forays in the paint, neutralized our slashers and pretty much left our shooters free. On a good day, with names like Lassiter, Alapag, Lutz and Casio, you'd expect a blow-out. But it just wasn't our night, and no one outside of Douthit could play efficient, smart basketball.
My only beef is that perhaps Toroman could've gone with a different look, say more minutes for gung-ho slashers Mark Barroca and Mac Baracael (whose famed pesky defense could've stifled Wright or Daghlas at the very least). Sadly, their minutes went to mismatched shooting guard, 5"11, Chris Tiu who plays with 100% heart, but is not a special basketball player on either ends of the court.
Why? I don't know *cough* because he's MVP's boy *cough*
That being said, what does this loss mean for Philippine basketball?
Well, there's still 3rd place to be won tomorrow versus the loser of the China-Korea match that's currently on-going. The 2nd and 3rd placers in this tournament will qualify for a "last trip to London" FIBA tournament which may or may not be open to other teams outside of Asia (which would pretty much mean that it's almost impossible to win that one).
But in hindsight, 3rd place isn't all that bad. Not for this team anyway. The mission was never to make it to London (that would be the dream). The mission, right from the onset, was to re-establish the country as a basketball powerhouse. You'd be hard pressed to argue that this team, from Rajko Toroman to the last guy on the bench (Charles Tiu-- PHL's poster boy of an assistant coach), were able to do just that.
So congrats Pilipinas for a great showing and just lay it all out there tomorrow!
Thoughts on the UAAP Finals: Ateneo-FEU Part II

Hopefully, FEU head coach Bert Flores doesn't suffer a "Glenn Capacio" and is able to lead his team to battle from start to finish. Capacio, last year's coach who led the team to a first place ranking, suffered from high blood pressure in the must-win Game 2 and didn't come out of the lockers after the half. Not that I'm putting the blame on Capacio, but it does hurt your team's overall psyche when the man that's supposed to take the lead is bowing to all the on-court drama.
What are the chances of FEU staging a giant-sized upset?
Slim to none. I don't care if they're "peaking" as most pundits would say, this team is battling an assortment of injuries and just doesn't have the size to control ADMU's 6"11 Fil-Am rent-a-center Greg Slaughter (he's only playing this season before probably moving on to the PBA or continuing with the Gilas program). They could try crowding the paint, but guys like Kirk Long, Eman Monfort and Rookie of the Year awardee Keifer Ravena are bound to wreak havoc all over.
That, plus they need to keep an eye on Ateneo's energy guy Nico Salva who can easily explode for double digits on garbage points/ hustle plays alone.
Perhaps the Tams could try the opposite of what you'd normally do against a team with a dominant big like ADMU. Keep everyone on lock while opting to guard Slaughter one-on-one. Yes, he's tall, but put an assortment of big bodies on him and have them use all five of their fouls to the hilt and let's see just how good the Ateneo anchor really is.

Back to FEU-ADMU.
The return of JR Cawaling could turn out to be the difference maker in this series. When healthy, the former SMART Gilas recruit is a solid two-way player that can allow last year's UAAP Most Valuable Player RR Garcia to work on offense.
That being said, here's my prediction: Ateneo in 3 games, FEU in 2.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Breakthrough! PHL lands in FIBA Asia top 4
What started off as another alarmingly sluggish start ended in what could've been the biggest victory in Philippine basketball today.
In a match against Chinese Taipei that would decide which advances into the medal round, the Philippine men's basketball team pulled through in the second half behind its now trademark stingy 3rd quarter defense and timely baskets. The end tally of 95-78 in favor of the Filipinos was closer in the first two quarters than expected.
The Taiwanese players all came out with a sense of urgency and energy that our team couldn't match early on and it showed as we trailed by four in the first. Then came JVee Casio's hot shooting in the second quarter which the Taiwanese couldn't stop which gave us a three-point cushion going into the half.
By the third quarter, Marcus Douthit found his rhythm in the post as his teammates started to tighten up on the defensive end and that was pretty much all she wrote for the Taiwanese squad. Despite the energetic plays of "The Beast" Lin Chih Chieh (#12 with the nasty/ugly comb over), there was nothing they could do to stop PHL from executing its plays and finding the open man.
Credit should also go to Ranidel de Ocampo, who came in for Kelly Williams in the first quarter and who I feel was tonight's true game changer.
PHL head coach Rajko Toroman started the same five that beat Japan in Andy Barroca, Chris Lutz, Marcio Lassiter, Kelly Williams and Marcus Douthit. Only problem was, CT had the size to concentrate on Douthit with veteran ace Tseng Wen-Ting manning the pivot and his partner able to sag off Williams who wasn't as comfortable/ confident with his shot.
The minute Toroman replaced Williams with De Ocampo, CT couldn't double on Douthit anymore after realizing that (when focused) RDO is arguably at par with Douthit as far as offensive-skills is concerned (even better when his three ball is going in, which it did). The pinnacle of course is during the 3rd when PHL was threatening to blow the game wide open but couldn't because of CT's aggressiveness.
RDO went to work in the post, backing up a taller and experienced Tseng before going with a soft jump hook that would've made Marlou Aquino proud.
And one.
The play was rather simple, and we were already up by a big margin-- but that single play took the fight out of CT because it caused Tseng his 5th and final foul.
Once that long haired beast was taken out of the equation, well, here's the stats: Douthit finished with a monstrous 37 points and 10, RDO with 18 and 5.
Hell, I didn't know we even had that kind of a post game going into the tournament to begin with!
Next game will be played tomorrow versus giant-killer Jordan which we beat in group play early in the tournament but appears to be peaking at the right time. Hopefully, our guards get a fair shake of the calls and Lassiter and Lutz' defense pulls us through while Douthit takes care of the shaded lane.
We're only two wins away from London, but in my book, making it to the top 4 is already an achievement in itself. The SMART Gilas program is a success and all the heartaches and pains Pinoy basketball fans have endured over the last two or three decades have been erased.
We've waited 20 plus years for this, so let us all celebrate as one nation.
Let's see what happens tomorrow versus Jordan.
Angat Pilipinas!

The Taiwanese players all came out with a sense of urgency and energy that our team couldn't match early on and it showed as we trailed by four in the first. Then came JVee Casio's hot shooting in the second quarter which the Taiwanese couldn't stop which gave us a three-point cushion going into the half.
By the third quarter, Marcus Douthit found his rhythm in the post as his teammates started to tighten up on the defensive end and that was pretty much all she wrote for the Taiwanese squad. Despite the energetic plays of "The Beast" Lin Chih Chieh (#12 with the nasty/ugly comb over), there was nothing they could do to stop PHL from executing its plays and finding the open man.
Credit should also go to Ranidel de Ocampo, who came in for Kelly Williams in the first quarter and who I feel was tonight's true game changer.
PHL head coach Rajko Toroman started the same five that beat Japan in Andy Barroca, Chris Lutz, Marcio Lassiter, Kelly Williams and Marcus Douthit. Only problem was, CT had the size to concentrate on Douthit with veteran ace Tseng Wen-Ting manning the pivot and his partner able to sag off Williams who wasn't as comfortable/ confident with his shot.
The minute Toroman replaced Williams with De Ocampo, CT couldn't double on Douthit anymore after realizing that (when focused) RDO is arguably at par with Douthit as far as offensive-skills is concerned (even better when his three ball is going in, which it did). The pinnacle of course is during the 3rd when PHL was threatening to blow the game wide open but couldn't because of CT's aggressiveness.
RDO went to work in the post, backing up a taller and experienced Tseng before going with a soft jump hook that would've made Marlou Aquino proud.
And one.
The play was rather simple, and we were already up by a big margin-- but that single play took the fight out of CT because it caused Tseng his 5th and final foul.
Once that long haired beast was taken out of the equation, well, here's the stats: Douthit finished with a monstrous 37 points and 10, RDO with 18 and 5.
Hell, I didn't know we even had that kind of a post game going into the tournament to begin with!
Next game will be played tomorrow versus giant-killer Jordan which we beat in group play early in the tournament but appears to be peaking at the right time. Hopefully, our guards get a fair shake of the calls and Lassiter and Lutz' defense pulls us through while Douthit takes care of the shaded lane.
We're only two wins away from London, but in my book, making it to the top 4 is already an achievement in itself. The SMART Gilas program is a success and all the heartaches and pains Pinoy basketball fans have endured over the last two or three decades have been erased.
We've waited 20 plus years for this, so let us all celebrate as one nation.
Let's see what happens tomorrow versus Jordan.
Angat Pilipinas!
Now or never for Douthit, PHL
Tonight's game versus Chinese Taipei couldn't come with any more pressure for Marcus Douthit and the rest of the Philippine men's basketball team.
While a spot in the FIBA-Asia tournament's final four/ medal round is at stake for both teams, one could argue that this means so much more to the PHL cause owing to its pitiful world ranking (53). We've already beaten Jordan (32) and Japan (33), so that leaves this team with no excuse not to survive a potent Chinese Taipei team (41) that plays more or less the same brand of basketball as the Japanese.
An entry in the top four almost assures us of a higher spot in the FIBA men's basketball world ranking and could lead us to jump 10 spots at the very least.
BUT there's also another reason why we need to make it to the medal round other than having a crack at that olympic berth and SMART Gilas being rebuilt with new faces for 2014.
Marcus Douthit.
The 6"11 Providence star who was only naturalized last June of this year is making a case for himself as the best big man in Asia. While he doesn't enjoy the youthful athleticism of China's Yi Jianlian, there's no other big who has the same skill set as the man we now call "Big Daddy."
Granted, Iranian 7"2 center Hamed Haddadi will always garner some votes, but he doesn't enjoy half the dribbling ability as Douthit or the footspeed. It should also be noted that Douthit has been a remarkable defensive player all his life (a byproduct of his 7"4 wingspan) while Haddadi's was developed more because he's pretty much the tallest guy on the floor.
The reason why I argue that PHL needs to win now, with this current selection of amateur and professional all stars is simple. There's no assurance on how long Douthit will play for the Philippines.
It has happened before. Jeff Moore, Chip Engelland and Dennis Still, recruits of legendary coach Ron Jacobs for the 1980's national team, all headed back to their home country after their "tour of duty" with the Philippines. Had they chosen to stay of course, who knows if we'd ever had Ramon Fernandez, Alvin Patrimonio, Ato Agustin and Vergel Meneses win MVPs in the PBA (since some of the Northern Cement imports/ naturalized guys would've been able to suit up for local pro teams-- who's to say that the Board wouldn't bend over backwards to get those names on the roster?).
Of the three, most of today's generation would be familiar with Engelland who has served as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs since 2006.
Surely a big man as mobile as Douthit wouldn't find it hard to receive offers from all over the world after his efficient display in all the international tournaments that we've been participating in. It would probably take a huge paycheck from one MVP to keep him in the fold for the next couple of years.
That being said, let's enjoy this ride while it's still rolling and support out Philippine national team. And also, when you see Douthit walking around Shangri-La Plaza or anywhere in the streets of Manila, be sure to show him some warm Filipino love (in case you're reading this and is connected with GMA 7 and ABS-CBN, please tell them that the Azkals haven't won jackshit while our basketball team is on the rise and isn't getting any Media love).
"I'll never have Filipino blood, but as far as becoming a Filipino, I'll always have it in my heart." - M. Douthit
While a spot in the FIBA-Asia tournament's final four/ medal round is at stake for both teams, one could argue that this means so much more to the PHL cause owing to its pitiful world ranking (53). We've already beaten Jordan (32) and Japan (33), so that leaves this team with no excuse not to survive a potent Chinese Taipei team (41) that plays more or less the same brand of basketball as the Japanese.
An entry in the top four almost assures us of a higher spot in the FIBA men's basketball world ranking and could lead us to jump 10 spots at the very least.
BUT there's also another reason why we need to make it to the medal round other than having a crack at that olympic berth and SMART Gilas being rebuilt with new faces for 2014.
Marcus Douthit.
The 6"11 Providence star who was only naturalized last June of this year is making a case for himself as the best big man in Asia. While he doesn't enjoy the youthful athleticism of China's Yi Jianlian, there's no other big who has the same skill set as the man we now call "Big Daddy."
Granted, Iranian 7"2 center Hamed Haddadi will always garner some votes, but he doesn't enjoy half the dribbling ability as Douthit or the footspeed. It should also be noted that Douthit has been a remarkable defensive player all his life (a byproduct of his 7"4 wingspan) while Haddadi's was developed more because he's pretty much the tallest guy on the floor.
The reason why I argue that PHL needs to win now, with this current selection of amateur and professional all stars is simple. There's no assurance on how long Douthit will play for the Philippines.
It has happened before. Jeff Moore, Chip Engelland and Dennis Still, recruits of legendary coach Ron Jacobs for the 1980's national team, all headed back to their home country after their "tour of duty" with the Philippines. Had they chosen to stay of course, who knows if we'd ever had Ramon Fernandez, Alvin Patrimonio, Ato Agustin and Vergel Meneses win MVPs in the PBA (since some of the Northern Cement imports/ naturalized guys would've been able to suit up for local pro teams-- who's to say that the Board wouldn't bend over backwards to get those names on the roster?).
Of the three, most of today's generation would be familiar with Engelland who has served as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs since 2006.
Surely a big man as mobile as Douthit wouldn't find it hard to receive offers from all over the world after his efficient display in all the international tournaments that we've been participating in. It would probably take a huge paycheck from one MVP to keep him in the fold for the next couple of years.
That being said, let's enjoy this ride while it's still rolling and support out Philippine national team. And also, when you see Douthit walking around Shangri-La Plaza or anywhere in the streets of Manila, be sure to show him some warm Filipino love (in case you're reading this and is connected with GMA 7 and ABS-CBN, please tell them that the Azkals haven't won jackshit while our basketball team is on the rise and isn't getting any Media love).
"I'll never have Filipino blood, but as far as becoming a Filipino, I'll always have it in my heart." - M. Douthit
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Another day, another comeback for PHL
Are we this good?
Do our players, from Marcus Douthit to little used Mark Barroca, believe that they can advance to the medal rounds by continuing this alarming trend of falling behind early before staging a comeback in the second half?
My answer is no and maybe.
Just because we've won five of our last six games doesn't mean squat. Remember, we're still ranked 53 worldwide in men's basketball. Twenty places behind Japan and Qatar. You could argue that they're only ranked higher because of our country's basketball turmoils in the past, but I have a thing about making excuses.
Let's celebrate when we're ranked 33. Or higher. When the votes have been tallied and not while the tournament is still on going.
You can't blame Pilipinas head coach Rajko Toroman for wanting to rest PBA veterans Jimmy Alapag (who is still nursing an injury from the PBA Finals) and Kelly Williams who have carried the fight for us the last two games. But there's no excuse for guys like Mac Baracael, Chris Tiu and the once promising JVee Casio for being lethargic on the court and missing simple lay-ups that they'd normally make.
The first two quarters saw PHL trail Syria 32-23, and I could've sworn that our guys were playing like National teams of old that were hastily assembled and relied on too much isolation sets. To make matters worse, their defensive chops were missing which can't be credited to being exhausted since the guys who've been playing all out (Alapag, Williams, Douthit) were sitting on the bench.
In the second half, the momentum started to swing in favor of PHL through its trapping defense and renewed energy. Credit must go to Alapag for not having any of his younger teammates' weak-ass, half-assed effort on the floor. Ranidel de Ocampo started making shots which in turn rubbed off on his teammates.
I pray that tonight's off-and-on display won't continue in the next round where we're expected to face a beatable Chinese Taipei. As long as we've got Douthit in the paint to control Wen Ten Tsing and our wings make shots from all over the floor, then we should be just fine.
P.S.
I know that it's a brand thing, but can people please refrain from calling this squad SMART Gilas? They're the PHILIPPINE NATIONAL TEAM. End of story.
Do our players, from Marcus Douthit to little used Mark Barroca, believe that they can advance to the medal rounds by continuing this alarming trend of falling behind early before staging a comeback in the second half?
My answer is no and maybe.
Let's celebrate when we're ranked 33. Or higher. When the votes have been tallied and not while the tournament is still on going.
You can't blame Pilipinas head coach Rajko Toroman for wanting to rest PBA veterans Jimmy Alapag (who is still nursing an injury from the PBA Finals) and Kelly Williams who have carried the fight for us the last two games. But there's no excuse for guys like Mac Baracael, Chris Tiu and the once promising JVee Casio for being lethargic on the court and missing simple lay-ups that they'd normally make.
The first two quarters saw PHL trail Syria 32-23, and I could've sworn that our guys were playing like National teams of old that were hastily assembled and relied on too much isolation sets. To make matters worse, their defensive chops were missing which can't be credited to being exhausted since the guys who've been playing all out (Alapag, Williams, Douthit) were sitting on the bench.
In the second half, the momentum started to swing in favor of PHL through its trapping defense and renewed energy. Credit must go to Alapag for not having any of his younger teammates' weak-ass, half-assed effort on the floor. Ranidel de Ocampo started making shots which in turn rubbed off on his teammates.
I pray that tonight's off-and-on display won't continue in the next round where we're expected to face a beatable Chinese Taipei. As long as we've got Douthit in the paint to control Wen Ten Tsing and our wings make shots from all over the floor, then we should be just fine.
P.S.
I know that it's a brand thing, but can people please refrain from calling this squad SMART Gilas? They're the PHILIPPINE NATIONAL TEAM. End of story.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
PHL triumphs over Japan; 83-76
Two wins in the second round- if I was able to understand a recent report correctly, then that pretty much assures us of a 2nd place finish in our bracket (Group F) which will help our medal-round hopes.
Kudos to all the players and coaching staff for a wonderful scouting report on the sharpshooting Japanese squad. The Japanese led early in the first half owing to their outside bombs and consecutive turnovers primarily by one Chris Tiu.
It should be noted though, that PHL led in the first quarter behind a never-before-seen starting unit of Mark Barroca, Chris Lutz, Marcio Lassiter, Kelly Williams and Marcus Douthit (much to my delight).
The minute Toroman made some substitutions, PHL's offense became predictable and Japan started going crazy by hitting shots from all over the court.
Fortunately for us, the Japanese lost steam in the second half and were starting to look desperate for a savior-- a role usually reserved for star Takuya Kawamura and 6"9 brothers Joji and Kasuke Takeuchi. Problem was, PHL would have none of it as all three were swarmed by aggressive help defenses all night long.
The Good
Marcio Lassiter (15 points)
- pretty much made Kawamura work on both ends of the floor. Play lockdown defense? Check. Do his best Mark Caguioa circa 2001 impression? Check.
Marcus Douthit (25 points, 18 rebounds)
- he hurt his ankle versus Jordan, and looked like he was laboring in the first half which may be a big reason why we were down six. But in the 2nd half, Douthit played like a bull in the paint and was just "manning" the Japanese bigs who have the same game as a Mick Pennisi.
Jimmy Alapag (16 points, 4 assists)
- where are the haters now? Alapag is the best PG on the roster bar none. The Japs tried to trap Alapag early, but went man to man the minute they saw that 1) there's no way you can steal the ball from a "serious" Alapag and 2) he was dissecting them with crisp passes.
Kelly Williams (12 points)
- where was this Williams the last few games?! Shiiiiiiitttt. Williams played like his MVP-form back with the Santa Lucia Realtors- running, hustling, sinking jumpers and even trying to dunk on Takeuchi's head on one play with brute force. He is arguably the best man to play alongside the "Too Cool" Douthit the rest of the tournament.
Chris Lutz
- he didn't score like Lassiter, he fouled out and even cost us two free throws on a technical- BUT- he played lockdown defense on Kawamura, alternating with Lassiter to pretty much throw the Japanese star off his game. By the time he fouled out in the third, he pretty much did what he had to do out on the floor.
The Bad
Ranidel de Ocampo (4 points)
- took one too many three balls early and lost his spot to Williams. In the 4th quarter though, RDO made up for his lack of aggression by simply camping in the post and playing offside basketball with Douthit (where he was able to grab timely rebounds that helped preserve the lead/ win).
JVee Casio (4 points)
- two forced airballs from deep. Couldn't dribble out of double teams. Couldn't make the correct pass. Blame it on his injury, or this being an off night, but Casio was clearly exposed as a short, outmatched shooting guard in today's game.
The Ugly
Chris Tiu (0 points)
- first time he touched the ball, he turned it over. Second? Turned it over. The PHL team captain looked lost on several occassions and didn't really help the cause. If anything, Lutz should take Tiu's minutes from here on out. Yes, we appreciate Tiu serving as an inspiration to all, but let the better players play!
Hopefully, Casio and Tiu both get their grooves back in the next round and shine in their new, diminished roles on the floor. It won't matter if they play a minute or the whole game, as long as we win, then just go for it.
Hats off to Asi Taulava who came in the 2nd quarter to spell Douthit. "The Rock" was throwing 'bows as though his daughter's entire college plan depended on him securing every single rebound.
Let's go Pilipinas!

It should be noted though, that PHL led in the first quarter behind a never-before-seen starting unit of Mark Barroca, Chris Lutz, Marcio Lassiter, Kelly Williams and Marcus Douthit (much to my delight).
The minute Toroman made some substitutions, PHL's offense became predictable and Japan started going crazy by hitting shots from all over the court.
Fortunately for us, the Japanese lost steam in the second half and were starting to look desperate for a savior-- a role usually reserved for star Takuya Kawamura and 6"9 brothers Joji and Kasuke Takeuchi. Problem was, PHL would have none of it as all three were swarmed by aggressive help defenses all night long.
The Good
Marcio Lassiter (15 points)
- pretty much made Kawamura work on both ends of the floor. Play lockdown defense? Check. Do his best Mark Caguioa circa 2001 impression? Check.
Marcus Douthit (25 points, 18 rebounds)
- he hurt his ankle versus Jordan, and looked like he was laboring in the first half which may be a big reason why we were down six. But in the 2nd half, Douthit played like a bull in the paint and was just "manning" the Japanese bigs who have the same game as a Mick Pennisi.
Jimmy Alapag (16 points, 4 assists)
- where are the haters now? Alapag is the best PG on the roster bar none. The Japs tried to trap Alapag early, but went man to man the minute they saw that 1) there's no way you can steal the ball from a "serious" Alapag and 2) he was dissecting them with crisp passes.
Kelly Williams (12 points)
- where was this Williams the last few games?! Shiiiiiiitttt. Williams played like his MVP-form back with the Santa Lucia Realtors- running, hustling, sinking jumpers and even trying to dunk on Takeuchi's head on one play with brute force. He is arguably the best man to play alongside the "Too Cool" Douthit the rest of the tournament.
Chris Lutz
- he didn't score like Lassiter, he fouled out and even cost us two free throws on a technical- BUT- he played lockdown defense on Kawamura, alternating with Lassiter to pretty much throw the Japanese star off his game. By the time he fouled out in the third, he pretty much did what he had to do out on the floor.
The Bad
Ranidel de Ocampo (4 points)
- took one too many three balls early and lost his spot to Williams. In the 4th quarter though, RDO made up for his lack of aggression by simply camping in the post and playing offside basketball with Douthit (where he was able to grab timely rebounds that helped preserve the lead/ win).
JVee Casio (4 points)
- two forced airballs from deep. Couldn't dribble out of double teams. Couldn't make the correct pass. Blame it on his injury, or this being an off night, but Casio was clearly exposed as a short, outmatched shooting guard in today's game.
The Ugly
Chris Tiu (0 points)
- first time he touched the ball, he turned it over. Second? Turned it over. The PHL team captain looked lost on several occassions and didn't really help the cause. If anything, Lutz should take Tiu's minutes from here on out. Yes, we appreciate Tiu serving as an inspiration to all, but let the better players play!
Hopefully, Casio and Tiu both get their grooves back in the next round and shine in their new, diminished roles on the floor. It won't matter if they play a minute or the whole game, as long as we win, then just go for it.
Hats off to Asi Taulava who came in the 2nd quarter to spell Douthit. "The Rock" was throwing 'bows as though his daughter's entire college plan depended on him securing every single rebound.
Let's go Pilipinas!
Monday, September 19, 2011
What Lassiter and Lutz' return means for PHL

Positives
+ Balanced rotation and substitution patterns
National team head coach Rajko Toroman will now enjoy having 12 players on his active roster as earlier envisioned without having to play guys longer than they should.
+ Less chances of injuries/ fatigue
By having more guys on the roster, the players won't have to worry about burning themselves out since someone's always going to be ready to give them a breather
+ Unpredictability of offensive sets against other teams
Different player equals different looks on both offense and defense
Negatives
- Less minutes for big time players
JVee Casio and Mark Barroca have been asked to play SG at times in the first round each to bad results. Best example was China opting to attack Casio at every opportunity since he was badly outsized by his man by at least three or four inches. Now that everyone's back, Casio, Barroca and Jimmy Alapag will all slide to their natural PG position which in turn will create a log jam. The same can be said at SG, where Chris Tiu is a lock to play no less than three quarters (don't ask why). The guys I see that are bound to lose minutes the most are Mark Barroca, Marnel Baracael and Japeth Aguilar.
- Crowded frontline
With Tiu being the default SG, the returning Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz are going to share time with reliable Marnel Baracael at small forward. This will force Kelly Williams to play PF exclusively alongside Japeth Aguilar and Ranidel de Ocampo. This hurts because if only Tiu didn't have a lock at SG, our starting five could have been loaded with weapons form 1 to 5. Imagine: Alapag-Lassiter-Baracael-Williams-Douthit with Lutz, Taulava and Casio as the guys coming from the bench. Wow.
- Smaller line-up
Again owing to Tiu's key position in the scheme of things which may or may not be his fault, the National team will have to field in a line-up that is shorter in some areas than their opponents. We're already outsized at the power forward spot, so I don't really see how sticking to Casio-Tiu-Lassiter-Williams-Douthit would help our cause any further other than their familiarity with one another.
All in all, it's still better to be three-men deep in each position rather than to not have guys suit up. Hopefully, Toroman pulls through and goes with the best line-up to advance to the medal round.
Lassiter, Lutz cleared; Thank you Noli
Who says that the WWE (television heel character not chairman)Vince McMahon of the Philippine basketball world doesn't have a heart?
These claims fell on deaf FIBA-Asia ears however and it looked more and more like we would just have to play with 10 guys the whole tournament and hope that SG Chris Tiu doesn't breakdown mid-tourney.
Enter Noli Eala.
Also known as former PBA savant and savior who had big hopes for the league only to be stripped of it all by personal issues that others are quick to judge him by. It didn't help his case though, that he immediately turned his back on the Media (can't say I blame him, since these are the same guys who brought him down) and concentrated on other pursuits before going back to the sport he loves- basketball.
To his credit, Eala is one of the men behind the Smart Gilas program-- the same program that has built our Philippine national team today. He's the guy who flew in and out of the country, made several negotiations and landed a few highly-touted recruits to play while making sure to take a stab or two (or three, five, eleven, twenty, etc.) at his former employers.
And by saying that he's the guy who acted as "negotiator" or "liaison" if you will, it was clear that he was the Philippine national team's only hope if they wanted to get Lutz and Lassiter back in time for the 2nd round.
True enough Eala played a big role, though not even duty-bound, by offering a helping hand and a few key advices to the current SBP leaders and also the FIBA commission in Geneva, Switzerland. His friendship with FIBA secretary general Patrick Baumann should also be taken as a big factor in turning the tides in favor of the national team.
So now, we are finally going to watch a complete Philippine national team minus the B.S. and off-court politicking. We are united under the red, blue, white and yellow of our flag. Win or lose, this is all we have, and let's support our national team.
And while we're at it, let me be the first to say "Thank you Noli."
In case you've been living under a rock, hopes of our Philippine national team making it to the medal round of the ongoing FIBA-Asia tournament took a big blow when prized Fil-Am recruits Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz were banned from playing due to "citizenship issues." The Samahang Basketbol Pilipinas, which assembled the team, were quick in citing that the two were able to play in FIBA-sanctioned tournaments before and that are of actual direct Filipino heritage (with all the necessary documentation to boot).
These claims fell on deaf FIBA-Asia ears however and it looked more and more like we would just have to play with 10 guys the whole tournament and hope that SG Chris Tiu doesn't breakdown mid-tourney.
Enter Noli Eala.
Also known as former PBA savant and savior who had big hopes for the league only to be stripped of it all by personal issues that others are quick to judge him by. It didn't help his case though, that he immediately turned his back on the Media (can't say I blame him, since these are the same guys who brought him down) and concentrated on other pursuits before going back to the sport he loves- basketball.
To his credit, Eala is one of the men behind the Smart Gilas program-- the same program that has built our Philippine national team today. He's the guy who flew in and out of the country, made several negotiations and landed a few highly-touted recruits to play while making sure to take a stab or two (or three, five, eleven, twenty, etc.) at his former employers.
And by saying that he's the guy who acted as "negotiator" or "liaison" if you will, it was clear that he was the Philippine national team's only hope if they wanted to get Lutz and Lassiter back in time for the 2nd round.
True enough Eala played a big role, though not even duty-bound, by offering a helping hand and a few key advices to the current SBP leaders and also the FIBA commission in Geneva, Switzerland. His friendship with FIBA secretary general Patrick Baumann should also be taken as a big factor in turning the tides in favor of the national team.
So now, we are finally going to watch a complete Philippine national team minus the B.S. and off-court politicking. We are united under the red, blue, white and yellow of our flag. Win or lose, this is all we have, and let's support our national team.
And while we're at it, let me be the first to say "Thank you Noli."
Sunday, September 18, 2011
FIBA-Asia needs change

Yes, there's the American juggernaut that is the National Basketball Association where "amazing happens," but the thing that will always separate the FIBA tourney is that it's where countries are represented and play the game of basketball with rules that were not skewered for television ratings and advertisements (in theory).
Years have passed and we've seen teams rise in the ranks-- none more than those in the Asian region which enjoys just ONE (sometimes two) olympic qualifying slot for a total of 44 participating countries.
Forty-four teams.
The FIBA-Oceania tournament features 21 countries, but is usually dominated/ participated in by two teams- Australia and New Zealand. Daresay that you can take some of the lower-ranked teams from the FIBA-Asia and that those teams will surely contend in FIBA-Oceania.
I say, it's time for the FIBA Asia to be split.
The 44 teams are divided into subregions: East Asia (notable teams: China, Japan, Korea), Middle Asia , West Asia (Iran, Lebanon, Jordan), Southeast Asia (Philippines) and Gulf. If we're going to have two divisions, then it wouldn't hurt to put the Middle, West and Gulf Asia on Asia I while the Eastern countries (who have stronger teams anyway) slug it out in Asia II.
It doesn't take a scientist to see the disparity in body types and features between the two Asian regions, so why not divide it? You can't argue that I'm simply asking for this to increase the Philippines' chances (because we'll still be stuck with China, Korea, Japan and Chinese Taipei) but to better promote Asian basketball all over the world.
Hell, there are Asian players who are much more skilled than the millionaires kids love to watch on television in the NBA. Skills-wise, Chinese Taipei's Wen Ten Tsing is better and more polished than the Kwame Browns and Eric Dampiers of the world.
Asian basketball teams have improved dramatically over the last ten years owing to the Western influence (and better local programs). It's high time FIBA recognizes that if it wants basketball to overtake football in the eyes of sports fans, then giving us a fair shake in qualifying tournaments would be the best place to start.
Friday, September 16, 2011
PHL suffers "meaningless" setback versus China; loses 60-75
As painful as it was to watch Japeth Aguilar, a 6"9 human pogostick that's the first of his kind in the Philippines, bite to China's Wang Zhi Zhi's slow and almost predictable pump fakes time and again, we should still be proud of the way our team lost by making an effort to narrow the gap in the last quarter and a half.
The story of the game was simple, the Chinese were taller and just better basketball players than the guys we had on the floor. I saw Mark Barroca break his ankles twice to a tall Chinese point guard which I've never seen in my entire life a Chinese do against a Filipino PG.
To win, our team needs to continue to play smart. The double high post screen worked in the second half regardless of the combinations, so maybe Rajko Toroman was keeping his cards close to his chest a bit and didn't want to show off as much. Forget driving into the paint against China because 1) they're quick to block shots and 2) we don't have the type of players for the job (this is where a healthy Jayson Castro or a MVP employee like Sol Mercado would've done great wonders but hey).
Moving on to the players; Jimmy Alapag controlled the pace of the game but was clearly bothered by the Chinese guards' length. This isn't like the previous years when we could count on our guards to outrun the Chinese players. Those young, lanky guys could move!
JVee Casio continues to look bothered by his injury and was clearly the target of the Chinese offense and defense. Everytime Casio held the basketball, two taller defenders were in his grill. And when he was playing defense, whoever he was guarding would almost always get the ball and freed to call for isolation.
Chris Tiu played with great heart, but left his brain in the dug-out. He was always one of the smarter players on the roster, but I guess that's what having to box-out bigger guys and not getting any relief via substitution does to a man.
Ranidel de Ocampo, while still being a frustrating example of a skilled Filipino big man with little drive/ heart (along the lines of his brother Yancy, Marlou Aquino and before him, Jun Limpot), made a brave stand in trying to guard the Chinese veteran Zhi Zhi with some degree of success. Of course, when he was asked to guard the equally tall yet ultra athletic and high-skilled Yi Jian Lian, there was nothing RDO could do but eat a plateful of jumpers from both corners of the floor.
Marnel Baracael is a hero to all kanto boy basketball players around. The guy plays hard, doesn't complain (specially to his coach who forces him to guard players several inches taller than he is and play out of position), doesn't flop (hello Ronald Tubid) and always looks to win games. Yan ang pusong Pinoy!
Kelly Williams enjoyed some success versus Yi owing to his aggressiveness and superior athleticism, but was just outmatched height-wise. Asi Taulava, in my book, is a hero. He's a man of limited basketball skill and IQ, but he's been playing hard for flag and country for so long that I want him to win big this time around or before he retires.
Marcus Douthit was pretty much out-finessed by the Chinese bigs. I'm pretty sure he could hold his own versus Zhi Zhi, but every time he'd make a move to the basket via a spin or crossover, Yi or another tall Chinese defender would be in the area to take a swipe on the ball or block his path.
At some point, you'd have to feel sorry for Douthit and have someone give him a purple heart or something for playing so hard for this country.
That being said, the only way you can really beat China is if you have guys who are bigger and stronger (Iran) which we won't have at least until another couple of years when our brothers and sisters marry into European/ Middle Eastern countries. Yes, we will definitely have our day in the sun!
Seriously now, as a consolation since we are still in group play, the loss won't matter and we will still move on to the next round (granted that we win over the Bader Malabes-led Bahrain squad-- which we should, because I will switch sports, allegiance and sexuality if we can't win by over ten points against that team).

Forget that Chris Lutz and Marcio Lassiter continue to ride the sideline because of all the backstage politics in the FIBA Asia tournament. We're here, we have 10 guys, five better than the stripped Qatar team who continue to disgrace themselves (hey, what did you expect, most of your guys are from the African continents you cheats!) so play on.
To win, our team needs to continue to play smart. The double high post screen worked in the second half regardless of the combinations, so maybe Rajko Toroman was keeping his cards close to his chest a bit and didn't want to show off as much. Forget driving into the paint against China because 1) they're quick to block shots and 2) we don't have the type of players for the job (this is where a healthy Jayson Castro or a MVP employee like Sol Mercado would've done great wonders but hey).
Moving on to the players; Jimmy Alapag controlled the pace of the game but was clearly bothered by the Chinese guards' length. This isn't like the previous years when we could count on our guards to outrun the Chinese players. Those young, lanky guys could move!
JVee Casio continues to look bothered by his injury and was clearly the target of the Chinese offense and defense. Everytime Casio held the basketball, two taller defenders were in his grill. And when he was playing defense, whoever he was guarding would almost always get the ball and freed to call for isolation.
Chris Tiu played with great heart, but left his brain in the dug-out. He was always one of the smarter players on the roster, but I guess that's what having to box-out bigger guys and not getting any relief via substitution does to a man.
Ranidel de Ocampo, while still being a frustrating example of a skilled Filipino big man with little drive/ heart (along the lines of his brother Yancy, Marlou Aquino and before him, Jun Limpot), made a brave stand in trying to guard the Chinese veteran Zhi Zhi with some degree of success. Of course, when he was asked to guard the equally tall yet ultra athletic and high-skilled Yi Jian Lian, there was nothing RDO could do but eat a plateful of jumpers from both corners of the floor.
Marnel Baracael is a hero to all kanto boy basketball players around. The guy plays hard, doesn't complain (specially to his coach who forces him to guard players several inches taller than he is and play out of position), doesn't flop (hello Ronald Tubid) and always looks to win games. Yan ang pusong Pinoy!
Kelly Williams enjoyed some success versus Yi owing to his aggressiveness and superior athleticism, but was just outmatched height-wise. Asi Taulava, in my book, is a hero. He's a man of limited basketball skill and IQ, but he's been playing hard for flag and country for so long that I want him to win big this time around or before he retires.
Marcus Douthit was pretty much out-finessed by the Chinese bigs. I'm pretty sure he could hold his own versus Zhi Zhi, but every time he'd make a move to the basket via a spin or crossover, Yi or another tall Chinese defender would be in the area to take a swipe on the ball or block his path.
At some point, you'd have to feel sorry for Douthit and have someone give him a purple heart or something for playing so hard for this country.
That being said, the only way you can really beat China is if you have guys who are bigger and stronger (Iran) which we won't have at least until another couple of years when our brothers and sisters marry into European/ Middle Eastern countries. Yes, we will definitely have our day in the sun!
Seriously now, as a consolation since we are still in group play, the loss won't matter and we will still move on to the next round (granted that we win over the Bader Malabes-led Bahrain squad-- which we should, because I will switch sports, allegiance and sexuality if we can't win by over ten points against that team).
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Smart Gilas scores first win over UAE; loses Lassiter and Lutz
Today's much awaited first game in the FIBA Asia London Olympic qualifiers came with unsettling news that prized Fil-Am guards Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz were declared ineligible to play due to their "questionable" citizenships.
This latest development forced Serbian head coach Rajko Toroman to play a tighter rotation in the game against the United Arab Emirates. Fortunately, the duo's absence was not felt owing to the added PBA firepower (which could've been a lot more formidable had Dondon Hontiveros stayed on board OR another shooting guard was added to the Gilas mix) and discrepancy in overall skill between the two teams.
From the outside looking in, you can't help but conclude that the Philippine team is being set-up to fail. It's not as if this is Lutz and Lassiter's first time to play in a FIBA tournament, and even former Smart Gilas/ Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas chief Noli Eala has come to the team's defense saying that they have finished/ completed/ provided all the necessary papers needed in the last three years or so.
That being said, today's game should be taken as a good sign as the team obviously played with a lot to prove. You can't really dig into it that much since they were facing a so-so opponent, but I appreciate the fact that we were basically scoring from all angles with the guys on the floor.
Jimmy Alapag looked healthier out there, and JVee Casio didn't show signs of the injury he suffered the last time out. Having Mark Barroca on the roster also allowed Toroman to slide Casio to his natural SG spot where he was pretty much cherry-picking on offense.
Should Casio and Alapag continue to play at a limited capacity, then there's no reason why Barroca shouldn't be playing more for Smart Gilas-- as a starter even.
At the guard spot, Chris Tiu played with the all-out hustle we've all grown to appreciate despite his limited lateral movement and offensive skills. I worry about this position though, since Tiu's bound to get burned by the second round and Casio's injury won't heal overnight. I wouldn't be surprised if Mac Baracael slides down to this position when called upon at some point if Lassiter and Lutz continue to sit.
The frontline is arguably the best we've seen from a Philippine basketball team in a long time. Mac Baracael, Kelly Williams, Ranidel de Ocampo and Marcus Douthit all took turns in dominating the glass and scoring at will. Williams made up for his shortcomings on offense by providing the interior, defensive muscle Smart Gilas has been missing. De Ocampo will probably take some time adjusting the most against international competition since he has always been hesitant with the basketball while Baracael is arguably the team's multi-purpose, Swiss army knife who is smart, strong and quick enough to play at least four positions.
Japeth Aguilar was... well... he's still the best dunker out there and will probably have a break out game or two against inferior teams. I'm hoping though that he shows that Kevin Garnett-ish form we saw glimpses of in the last tournament they played in tomorrow when matched up against China's Yi Jian Lian.
Oh, wait, Dylan Ababou's on the roster? Could've fooled me.
Can this team beat China?
I honestly believe it can if it continues with its fast-paced yet still disciplined attack.
Can this team beat Iran?
No. That team has big guards who can run with our speedsters and a 7"2 monster in the paint.
Still, there's no shame in trying or hoping for a miracle now is there?

From the outside looking in, you can't help but conclude that the Philippine team is being set-up to fail. It's not as if this is Lutz and Lassiter's first time to play in a FIBA tournament, and even former Smart Gilas/ Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas chief Noli Eala has come to the team's defense saying that they have finished/ completed/ provided all the necessary papers needed in the last three years or so.
That being said, today's game should be taken as a good sign as the team obviously played with a lot to prove. You can't really dig into it that much since they were facing a so-so opponent, but I appreciate the fact that we were basically scoring from all angles with the guys on the floor.
Jimmy Alapag looked healthier out there, and JVee Casio didn't show signs of the injury he suffered the last time out. Having Mark Barroca on the roster also allowed Toroman to slide Casio to his natural SG spot where he was pretty much cherry-picking on offense.
Should Casio and Alapag continue to play at a limited capacity, then there's no reason why Barroca shouldn't be playing more for Smart Gilas-- as a starter even.
At the guard spot, Chris Tiu played with the all-out hustle we've all grown to appreciate despite his limited lateral movement and offensive skills. I worry about this position though, since Tiu's bound to get burned by the second round and Casio's injury won't heal overnight. I wouldn't be surprised if Mac Baracael slides down to this position when called upon at some point if Lassiter and Lutz continue to sit.
The frontline is arguably the best we've seen from a Philippine basketball team in a long time. Mac Baracael, Kelly Williams, Ranidel de Ocampo and Marcus Douthit all took turns in dominating the glass and scoring at will. Williams made up for his shortcomings on offense by providing the interior, defensive muscle Smart Gilas has been missing. De Ocampo will probably take some time adjusting the most against international competition since he has always been hesitant with the basketball while Baracael is arguably the team's multi-purpose, Swiss army knife who is smart, strong and quick enough to play at least four positions.
Japeth Aguilar was... well... he's still the best dunker out there and will probably have a break out game or two against inferior teams. I'm hoping though that he shows that Kevin Garnett-ish form we saw glimpses of in the last tournament they played in tomorrow when matched up against China's Yi Jian Lian.
Oh, wait, Dylan Ababou's on the roster? Could've fooled me.
Can this team beat China?
I honestly believe it can if it continues with its fast-paced yet still disciplined attack.
Can this team beat Iran?
No. That team has big guards who can run with our speedsters and a 7"2 monster in the paint.
Still, there's no shame in trying or hoping for a miracle now is there?
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
B-Meg's blueprint for success: 1996 Alaska Milkmen
Whether or not one Timothy Earl Cone decides to step in as head coach of the third San Miguel Corporation franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association this preseason/ mid-conference/ next conference, we all know that it's bound to happen sooner rather than later.
How could it not?
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Cone at a B-Meg practice (credits: hoops.blink.ph) |
From the outside looking in, Tim Cone hasn't coached (or will coach) a team as talented or enjoys as big a following as the B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados since he had Kenneth Duremdes and Rodney Santos on the Alaska roster. It's easy to say that James Yap could easily slide into the Duremdes role while scoring buddy PJ Simon (who is actually more consistent) does an RS9.
But then again, we shouldn't count out the rest of the names on the B-Meg roster who are no patsies themselves. On paper, this team could actually rival Cone's 1996 grand slam winning Alaska Milkmen man-for-man.
PG - Mark Barroca as Johnny Abarrientos
It will probably take a conference or two before Cone hands in the keys to the B-Meg machine from Roger Yap to Barroca full-time, but when he does, you can bet your ass that Barroca is going to jumpstart the whole team with his heady court vision and blazing speed. And while SMART Gilas head coach Rajko Toroman lost faith in Barroca's darting quickness in favor of JVee Casio's clutch shooting, Cone will probably let Barroca do his thing since he has two more guys who can shoot the ball from deep when needed.
SG - PJ Simon as Jeffrey Cariaso
Today, you're either wishing Simon started for a different team since he's THAT good on offense (better than Cyrus Baguio) OR happy that he's the ever so popular James Yap's chief reliever. That was the same conundrum that Alaska faced in the mid 90s when they had the prized Fil-Am Cariaso coming in for Cebuano hardcourt heartthrob Jojo Lastimosa. Cone made it work however, by trusting Cariaso with much of the offense early (thus giving the Fil-Am his numbers), and going to Jolas in the clutch.
SF - James Yap as Jojo Lastimosa
Will Yap embrace the Jolas role? Scoring almost exclusively in the fourth, letting his teammates run the show and happy with pedestrian numbers? Will Yap play the kind of defense necessary to win championships in the PBA and allow Simon to flourish? OR will Cone tweak the triangle to make Yap look like Michael Jordan/ Kobe Bryant?
PF - Kerby Raymundo as Bong Hawkins
While Raymundo will never be at par with "The Hawk" defensively, they pretty much have the polished low-post game complemented by a consistent jumper that Cone wants from his bigs. In theory, the "triple post offense" or "Triangle" runs through two bigs who can shoot and pass and a slasher/creator. If Raymundo returns in shape next conference, then I'll be hard pressed not to switch from Meralco (Santa Lucia die-hard here) to B-Meg.
C - Joe DeVance as Poch Juinio
As unfathomable as it may sound for an MVP frontrunner, JDV is better off as a 3rd option on a champion team much like the Los Angeles Lakers' Lamar Odom. JDV blossomed under Cone who appears to be the only coach in the PBA who knows how to properly utilize the sweet shooting big (by giving him enough leeway to shoot his ill-advised threes IF he plays defense, rebounds and plays in the paint from time to time).
PF - Marc Pingris as Cris Bolado
Okay, Bolado never really played heavy minutes for Alaska back then, but he was the lucky charm. Fortunately for Cone, he doesn't need to carry an extra rabbit's foot since Pingris is better than Bolado by leaps and bounds on the defensive and rebounding end. Plus, I don't think Cone has forgotten how Pingris, a 6"5 wiry power forward, stopped his Alaska Aces and lead guard, a then still rising L.A. Tenorio, in a championship series a few years back.
PG - Roger Yap as Kevin Ramas/ Gilbert Reyes
The only reason I bothered to associate Yap with the two is because they're the ones who play the most minutes and score after the 1996 Alaska Milkmen's top five guys. By all means, Yap is a better two-way player than half of the 96 team.
Just writing about it, picturing how things will pan out and all is causing major basketball nerdgasms. Of course, we still have to see how it will work and IF Tim Cone will sign up and actually COACH this team.
And before we end this, I'd like to say kudos to the WWE Vince McMahon (the television character not the real person, then again, who knows if he's any different in real life from his tv persona) of Philippine basketball, Noli Eala, for scoring the biggest/ sliest deal, since, maybe, Alaska duped Santa Lucia into taking a deteriorating Kenneth Duremdes in the 2003 PBA Draft.
On a side note, I'm really happy for Cone. He gets to coach a superstar team that you just know enjoys great financial backing while also being arguably the most popular team in the country. Yes, I said it. Ginebra still lords if over in Metro Manila. But Purefoods/ B-Meg OWNS Visayas and Mindanao.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Powerade Tigers: Waiting on Lassiter (UPD 9/12/11)
While most of this year's PBA draft first rounders have been signed by their respective teams, no deal has been reached between the Powerade Tigers (who recently locked up top pick Jayvee Casio to a max contract) and number four selection SMART Gilas mainstay Marcio Lassiter.
Question here is, is Lassiter good enough to receive the maximum allowed for rookies?
I say based on what he has done for flag and country while at SG...
No.
Lassiter is a quality player yes, but right now, his game is more of Ronald Tubid pre-flopping. He has the skills, but he doesn't have the recognizable face or superstar game Filipino fans like from their local heroes. At least, from what we've seen so far.
Hell, one could even argue that he's a temperamental, ghetto-swagged up version of Rain or Shine's Jireh Ibanez (under rated, do-it-all guard).
It would be quite a shame though if Lassiter doesn't suit up for the Tigers who are bent on rebuilding into a mean, running squad. The team has also signed UE 's James Martinez who, when healthy, is a pocket-sized James Yap from deep (even better).
UPDATE:
As reported on Interaktv.com, Lassiter has agreed to sign with Powerade for a max contract similar to top pick and teammate Jayvee Casio.
Click here to read the full article.
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Straight to the bank for Lassiter |
According to numerous sources and even through Lassiter's wife's Twitter account, they are still on the negotiating table with the Fil-Am's camp probably holding out for a better contract (say, a max one like SG and now Powerade teammate Casio's).
I say based on what he has done for flag and country while at SG...
No.
Lassiter is a quality player yes, but right now, his game is more of Ronald Tubid pre-flopping. He has the skills, but he doesn't have the recognizable face or superstar game Filipino fans like from their local heroes. At least, from what we've seen so far.
Hell, one could even argue that he's a temperamental, ghetto-swagged up version of Rain or Shine's Jireh Ibanez (under rated, do-it-all guard).
It would be quite a shame though if Lassiter doesn't suit up for the Tigers who are bent on rebuilding into a mean, running squad. The team has also signed UE 's James Martinez who, when healthy, is a pocket-sized James Yap from deep (even better).
UPDATE:
As reported on Interaktv.com, Lassiter has agreed to sign with Powerade for a max contract similar to top pick and teammate Jayvee Casio.
Click here to read the full article.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
PBA Off-season trade/signing updates
While most fans are still recovering from the recent divorce of coaching genius Tim Cone and Wilfred Uytengsu's Alaska franchise after 22 years, the offseason wheels continue to turn this time with trade proposals and signings.
Barako Bull - Don Allado (B-Meg)
B-Meg - Mark Barroca (Shopinas.com)
Was Don Allado (who will end up with sister team Barako Bull) really the best player that Shopinas.Com could get in return for Mark Barroca? Probably not. The fact that Allado went to another team also dispels any notion of him being reunited with former DLSU and now Clickers head coach Franz Pumaren. Luckily for Shopinas.Com, they will get two more guys from the trade in Brian Ilad (a college-career role player who's best known for starting fights) and ultra athletic Elmer Espiritu (who looks to be struggling in finding a niche in the pros akin to UE teammate Kelvin Gregorio). A silver lining for the Clickers is that they are going to get the services of Ren-Ren Ritualo who enjoyed his best years being coached by a Pumaren. Hopefully for RR14, his body holds up against bigger SGs in the PBA and that Coach Franz can give him open looks to do what he does best- drain threes from all over.
Meralco - Chico Lanete (Powerade), Mark Yee (Powerade), Mark Macapagal (Powerade)
Talk n Text - Shawn Weinstein (Meralco), Bam Gamalinda (Meralco)
I was quite impressed with the way Weinstein played the first couple of times I saw him off the bench for Meralco. Sadly, Bolts' head coach Ryan Gregorio opted for a more uptempo pace and didn't know where Weinstein would fit since the guy wasn't much of an offensive force and didn't have a solid jumper (which is vital considering the PG has to keep BOTH ball hogs Sol Mercado and Mark Cardona happy while acting as a kick-out option for suicide drives). At TNT, Weinstein can fill in for Ryan Reyes at the 2 spot (TNT loves playing a 3-guard rotation anyway, so the more guards they have, the better I guess) while Bam Gamalinda learns the ropes from Larry Fonacier and Jarred Dillinger.
Barako Bull - Don Allado (B-Meg)
Slowly but surely, this team is starting to look like a legit contender or at the very least, competent enough barring any lopsided trades (which, I expect to see in the future). Willie Miller is marked as the "franchise" player but let's not forget that Danny Seigle enjoyed his best season in a long while following his trade from San Miguel. Throw in burly bruiser Dorian Pena and even some crisp low post presence from Don Allado and they could very well be the darkhorse in the coming season. Of course, everything depends on the BB management if they will hold on to these guys longer than a conference or two, and if Allado every fully recovers from his recent bout with injuries.
B-Meg - Mark Barroca (Shopinas.com)
The rich keep getting richer don't they? Granted, B-Meg was the "ugly duckling" of the SMC family last season but let's not forget that they were practically playing with an injury plagued frontline and relied mostly on gunners James Yap (who had a forgettable season) and PJ Simon (who continues to toil as a "Super Sub" when he's good enough to start for half of the league's other teams). Barroca will be put on the spotlight right away (not only because of his tisay girlfriend) owing to Jonas Villanueva's injuries and Roger Yap's age. Is Barroca the guy for B-Meg? Definitely. His slashing skills will open up a world of hurt on opposing teams since they won't be able to lock down on Yap, Simon and sweet-shooting big man Joe DeVance anymore.
Shopinas.Com - Brian Ilad (B-Meg), Elmer Espiritu (Barako Bull), Ren Ren Ritualo (released by Meralco)

Powerade - Ogie Menor (Meralco)
It's just sad to see how Menor went from San Beda high school and college hotshot to just another name on the roster. What's even sadder is that, collegiate role players are enjoying more success in the PBA (Jeff Chan, RJ Rizada, etc.) than someone who was hyped to be the next Mark Caguioa. Now? Their only similiarities is that they sport the same hairstyle. At Powerade, Menor will have to earn his spot to become Gary David's chief reliever. If not, then he'll probably be relegated to the bench and later on find himself with a Liga or ABL team.
Meralco - Chico Lanete (Powerade), Mark Yee (Powerade), Mark Macapagal (Powerade)
While most people would say that Meralco lost its promising young guys to other teams, I'd like to argue that they were able to add solid role players who are ready to win now. Lanete is still an explosive (sometimes bull-headed) point guard who can light up the scoreboard when needed (think a malnourished yet more athletic version of Roger Yap) while Macapagal is a passable (even better when you look at it) replacement for Ren Ren Ritualo (not as good a shooter, but better defender).

Released to free agency - Marlou Aquino (Meralco)
As a Marlou Aquino circa 1996-1999 fan (uhm, you do realize that this site was named after "The Skyscraper's" signature move right?), I wish that Aquino either retires or is signed by Ginebra for one last run/ that nostalgic feel. Alaska did it with guys like Bong Hawkins, Jojo Lastimosa and Jeffrey Cariaso.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
SMART Gilas' FIBA Asia bid: There can be only 12
90s television catchphrases aside, the reality for the SMART Gilas players is that only 12 can be taken to the FIBA Asia London olympic qualifiers this September 15. And as if trying to crack into the upper echelon of Asian basketball powerhouses isn't pressuring enough, the players on the bottom half of the rotation are fighting for their spot on the roster.
The addition of PBA veterans Jimmy Alapag, Kelly Williams and Ranidel de Ocampo have already led to the ouster of abled bodies like Jason Ballesteros and Dondon Hontiveros (who asked to be released). Right now, SMART Gilas still has 13 players on the line-up with rumors of versatile yet little used forward Dylan Ababou being the odd man out.
But to make things a wee bit interesting, here's an argument for the top three players who should be considered at the very least of being cut:
Dylan Ababou
We all know (or knew) what Ababou can do on the floor. On his best day, Ababou's the closest we've seen to the late 90s' Victor Pablo. A big man who can play both ends of the court with great basketball IQ. I've seen Ababou shoot from the outside, dribble, run, rebound, play tough defense and even post-up smaller defenders from time to time. On his worst/average; Ababou is a tattoo-less version of Adamson's/ Powerade's Mark Agustin. There's a lot to be said when a former UAAP Most Valuable Player loses his position at PF to a guy relatively smaller than he is in Mac Baracael, and at SF to a guy shorter and not as smart in Marcio Lassiter. The addition of natural PFs Ranidel de Ocampo and Kelly Williams only makes it worse for Ababou since everyone will go back to their natural positions (Baracael at SF, Lassiter "hopefully" at SG).
Mark Barroca
Is he hurt? Has the added weight affected his speed? How Barroca has fallen from elite, starting PG to a blitzkrieg back-up is beyond me. Yes, Casio made huge strides as a PG, but the guy has only played the position in the last two years. Barroca on the other hand, has been a PG since college (probably even earlier)-- one of the best at that. So how does he manage to lose his starting spot? Now that Alapag's on board, the pressure is on Barroca to deliver whenever called upon else he loses his spot even further in favor of the veteran PBA MVP.
Chris Tiu
I'm just messing with Tiu-fanatics. The guy plays with a lot of heart and is arguably the team's scrappiest player outside of Marcio Lassiter. I caught a replay of that mini-scuffle with Japan the other night and was impressed that the team's poster boy was willing to fight tooth and nail out there with the rest of the guys. Skills-wise, Lassiter should be the starting SG with Lutz as his back-up. But since Tiu has a lock on that position, everyone's been playing outside of their comfort zones.
As of this writing, here are the guys on the 13-man line-up:
PG Jayvee Casio/ Andy Barroca/ Jimmy Alapag
SG Chris Tiu/ Chris Lutz
SF Marcio Lassiter/ Mac Baracael/ Dylan Ababou
PF Ranidel de Ocampo/ Kelly Williams
C Marcus Douthit/ Asi Taulava
Who do you think should be cut from the team?
The addition of PBA veterans Jimmy Alapag, Kelly Williams and Ranidel de Ocampo have already led to the ouster of abled bodies like Jason Ballesteros and Dondon Hontiveros (who asked to be released). Right now, SMART Gilas still has 13 players on the line-up with rumors of versatile yet little used forward Dylan Ababou being the odd man out.
But to make things a wee bit interesting, here's an argument for the top three players who should be considered at the very least of being cut:
Dylan Ababou
We all know (or knew) what Ababou can do on the floor. On his best day, Ababou's the closest we've seen to the late 90s' Victor Pablo. A big man who can play both ends of the court with great basketball IQ. I've seen Ababou shoot from the outside, dribble, run, rebound, play tough defense and even post-up smaller defenders from time to time. On his worst/average; Ababou is a tattoo-less version of Adamson's/ Powerade's Mark Agustin. There's a lot to be said when a former UAAP Most Valuable Player loses his position at PF to a guy relatively smaller than he is in Mac Baracael, and at SF to a guy shorter and not as smart in Marcio Lassiter. The addition of natural PFs Ranidel de Ocampo and Kelly Williams only makes it worse for Ababou since everyone will go back to their natural positions (Baracael at SF, Lassiter "hopefully" at SG).
Mark Barroca
Is he hurt? Has the added weight affected his speed? How Barroca has fallen from elite, starting PG to a blitzkrieg back-up is beyond me. Yes, Casio made huge strides as a PG, but the guy has only played the position in the last two years. Barroca on the other hand, has been a PG since college (probably even earlier)-- one of the best at that. So how does he manage to lose his starting spot? Now that Alapag's on board, the pressure is on Barroca to deliver whenever called upon else he loses his spot even further in favor of the veteran PBA MVP.
Chris Tiu
I'm just messing with Tiu-fanatics. The guy plays with a lot of heart and is arguably the team's scrappiest player outside of Marcio Lassiter. I caught a replay of that mini-scuffle with Japan the other night and was impressed that the team's poster boy was willing to fight tooth and nail out there with the rest of the guys. Skills-wise, Lassiter should be the starting SG with Lutz as his back-up. But since Tiu has a lock on that position, everyone's been playing outside of their comfort zones.
As of this writing, here are the guys on the 13-man line-up:
PG Jayvee Casio/ Andy Barroca/ Jimmy Alapag
SG Chris Tiu/ Chris Lutz
SF Marcio Lassiter/ Mac Baracael/ Dylan Ababou
PF Ranidel de Ocampo/ Kelly Williams
C Marcus Douthit/ Asi Taulava
Who do you think should be cut from the team?
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Kili Kili Power: Bad news for Pasculado fans, H-Bomb retires
Author's note: now that I think about it, maybe I should have stayed with the "Off the bench" thing since I could always use "Bench Press" for sports tidbits. Then again, there's always that sick/lame/cheesy Pinoy humor to go with so I guess Kili Kili Power works just fine.
A bit of bad news for Julius Pasculado fans out there if long time sports' blogger/writer Snow Badua's Twitter account is to be taken seriously. First, he won't be playing under the great Tim Cone (who was recently released from his contract with the Alaska Aces). Now, it looks like Pasculado's chances of landing a spot with the Aces is up in limbo.
At the moment, the Aces have L.A. Tenorio as the starting point guard of the present (and future, depends on Wilfred Uytengsu who has made a career in suddenly trading/shipping out his star players) with spitfire Bonbon Custodio masquerading as his back-up. In the PBA draft, right after claiming SMART Gilas' Mac Baracael with the 6th pick in the 1st round, the Aces went mini-Ginebra-loco and drafted two point guards back-to-back in Eric Salamat and Fil-Am Pasculado after securing bruiser Ariel Mepana.
Should Pasculado be waived/cut from the roster by the Aces, reports have it that Powerade will extend an offer ASAP since they claim to be the ones who brought him over from the US.
KKS
Rumors have it that Tim Cone won't be "jobless" longer than two conferences. Sources have already confirmed that Cone met with top San Miguel Corporation officials and is all but ready to swoop in and coach one of the three SMC teams.
The leading candidate of course, is B-Meg Derby Ace which recently demoted rookie coach Jorge Gallent in favor of assistant Richard del Rosario (who is as raw as they come, not even winning anything big in the NCAA as head coach of the College of St. Benilde Blazers). And before everyone (this writer included) raises hell about del Rosario's promotion over the PBL's winningest coach, take note of his new title: "Acting Coach."
Yep. "Acting." Meaning, he has one conference to show his worth before he slides down to accommodate Cone.
KKS
Rudy Hatfield's PBA career is over. According to Ginebra co-coach Jong Uichicio, Hatfield won't be making another cameo/ guest appearance this season as he has done the last three to four years with the crowd darlings. I say good for Hatfield, a known bruiser and workhorse whose game has dipped the last season or two (blame it on age/ injuries/ lack of focus).
KKS
In a quite humorous twist, top pick Jayvee Casio of Powerade still hasn't signed a contract while 2nd pick Paul Lee has been locked up by Rain or Shine with the maximum rookie contract. I don't know what's keeping the Tigers, but when you pick someone number one overall, you sign them pronto and worry about everything else later.
Or maybe, Casio's on his way to being traded ala Japeth Aguilar's case two years back?

At the moment, the Aces have L.A. Tenorio as the starting point guard of the present (and future, depends on Wilfred Uytengsu who has made a career in suddenly trading/shipping out his star players) with spitfire Bonbon Custodio masquerading as his back-up. In the PBA draft, right after claiming SMART Gilas' Mac Baracael with the 6th pick in the 1st round, the Aces went mini-Ginebra-loco and drafted two point guards back-to-back in Eric Salamat and Fil-Am Pasculado after securing bruiser Ariel Mepana.
Should Pasculado be waived/cut from the roster by the Aces, reports have it that Powerade will extend an offer ASAP since they claim to be the ones who brought him over from the US.
KKS
Rumors have it that Tim Cone won't be "jobless" longer than two conferences. Sources have already confirmed that Cone met with top San Miguel Corporation officials and is all but ready to swoop in and coach one of the three SMC teams.
The leading candidate of course, is B-Meg Derby Ace which recently demoted rookie coach Jorge Gallent in favor of assistant Richard del Rosario (who is as raw as they come, not even winning anything big in the NCAA as head coach of the College of St. Benilde Blazers). And before everyone (this writer included) raises hell about del Rosario's promotion over the PBL's winningest coach, take note of his new title: "Acting Coach."
Yep. "Acting." Meaning, he has one conference to show his worth before he slides down to accommodate Cone.
KKS

KKS
In a quite humorous twist, top pick Jayvee Casio of Powerade still hasn't signed a contract while 2nd pick Paul Lee has been locked up by Rain or Shine with the maximum rookie contract. I don't know what's keeping the Tigers, but when you pick someone number one overall, you sign them pronto and worry about everything else later.
Or maybe, Casio's on his way to being traded ala Japeth Aguilar's case two years back?
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Tim Cone: A Free Man
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Thirteen titles in 22 years! |
Taking coaches for granted is arguably the one thing that all sports have in common and that it’s a rarity for organizations to reward an individual who watches countless videos, scouts players and opponents and wakes up everyday trying to motivate a bunch of strangers.
But such is not the case for Timothy Earl Cone, who earned his stripes and went up the PBA ranks from a then unheralded American coach (many questioned Cone’s appointment at first, crediting it more to his close ties with Alaska team owner Wilfred Uytengsu). I can’t name a coach who has been with a team even half of Cone’s tenure. Meralco’s Ryan Gregorio looked like he’d be with Purefoods forever, but that soon ended. Even Jong Uichico was shuffled back and forth the Ginebra and San Miguel benches.
Credit goes to Uytengsu for keeping his faith on Cone. But at the same merit, Cone probably deserves all the accolades and praises in the world for being able to translate his and Uytengsu’s dream of a basketball team with values and integrity (and all that wholesome marketing stuff you’d expect from a milk brand) to PBA success. The minute the team won its first title en route to a grand slam in 1996, it has indeed felt like they never looked back and continued to build contenders year after year regardless of the players they took in and lost.
To put things in perspective, Cone led the Milkmen/ Aces to 13 titles in 22 years which is unmatched other than the great Baby Dalupan’s 15 (which I argue is a different time in Philippine basketball, when you only had two powerhouse teams while the rest were pretty much non-competitive blahs).
Cone had to hurdle the great Ron Jacobs, charismatic Robert Jaworski Sr. (who has always appeared to be able to squeeze more from his players than anyone else), unpredictable Yeng Guiao and even the new wave of Filipino bench geniuses like assistant (and now Alaska replacement) Joel Banal, Chot Reyes, Uichico and Siot Tangquincen.
Then came the last six years of lopsided trades and blatant disregard for the PBA salary cap among others. Alaska was losing players left and right, either via lopsided trades, or requests from their own guys who want more out of their basketball careers (financially speaking).
I don’t want to speculate, but it’s kind of hard to argue against a maximum Php 350,000 paycheck with an unlimited supply of dairy products versus, say, a max check with your own hotdog, beer, gas, cellphone, etc. franchises/ endorsements as added perks/ incentives.
And while it’s painful to see Cone leave the Alaska bench and maybe one day wear an SMC polo-shirt uniform (or UAAP colors even), we should think about the man who preached integrity and class through and through and, when the game started getting uglier by the minute, left on his own terms and handled things like the man we’ve pictured him of being.
What I love about the whole scenario is, if ever Cone does sign-up with a free-spending PBA team with unlimited resources, then we'll finally be able to see him at his best: coaching elite level players with no fear of them being traded or any other unwanted drama.
“Bong, set the screen for Johnny. Johw-johw, pass the ball to Johnny, Aaaayyyttt?”
Monday, August 29, 2011
PBA Draft 2011: Best fit vs best talent available
Now that all the PBA draft 2011 secrecy has been made public with yesterday's annual celebration, did teams get the right guy who could make an impact and address a certain need or did they simply opt for the best available talent, regardless of the position played?
1 Powerade/ Jayvee Casio
After making it known that they were on "rebuilding" mode following the trade of Dennis Espino, acquisition of Doug Kramer, Rob Reyes' early retirement and release of Chico Lanete, Powerade had two choices: build with a PG or a Center. From top to bottom it was pretty ascertain that this was the year of the guards. Coach Bo Perasol has made it known even before that they were going with Casio, and get him they did. He's a shoo-in to start for the Tigers and has the size and touch to keep defenders honest. And if the events that ultimately led to the ugly Wyne-gate is any indication of his mental toughness, then the Tigers definitely got themselves a keeper/ franchise PG.
2 Rain or Shine/ Paul Lee
One look at Lee and you just know that he's a Yeng Guiao type of guy. His college coach, Lawrence Tiongson practically preaches the same hard-nosed, run and attack system. With Lee, Guiao finds himself with a quality player who is craftier than lead PG TY Tang and proven more consistent than on again-off again option at SG Ryan Buenafe.
3 Petron/ Chris Lutz
How on earth did Petron get their greasy (and I say that with all disgust since this brand, after winning the title, raised gas prices on us Pinoys lol) hands on this pick? Not only did they manage to get a solid wing who can defend and shoot, but they were also able to reacquire the services of a guy who will probably be Lutz' mentor 'til the Fil-Am rookie gets his feet wet in Dondon Hontiveros.
4 Powerade / Marcio Lassiter
The rebuilding continues for Powerade, who were so bad last season that they had no choice but to reactivate Will Antonio's career for stretches. If Perasol can be convinced to run a Casio-Lassiter backcourt, then there's not a doubt in my mind that this will be one of the more exciting teams in the PBA. Casio to provide the clutch, Lassiter to act as slasher/ defender in that Ronald Tubid role.
5 Shopinas.Com/ Andy Barroca
As you all know, B-Meg decided to reinforce an old trade clause so Barroca's definitely headed to the Llamados regardless. What Shopinas.com should do here is ask for concessions and not to simply just give the pick to B-Meg. Best return would be PJ Simon or even a Joe DeVance. If not, then this was a wasted pick as far as Shopinas.com is concerned. B-Meg needs a PG to spell Roger Yap and eventually take over, and that's what they got in steady Andy Barroca whose slashing ways could create huge openings for volume shooters like James Yap and Simon.
6 Alaska/ Mac Baracael
Other than being the best available talent left on the table, I don't know where Baracael fits in exactly other than to become Tony Dela Cruz' eventual replacement at the wing position. It would be fun to see if Tim Cone can get through Baracael who has a tendency to lose focus in games and wave off orders from the bench.
7 Meralco / Jason Ballesteros
This pick makes the most sense as far as addressing a need is concerned. Asi Taulava is a relic who should be brushed off only for international tournaments while Marlou Aquino is just a sad case. Ballesteros, at a bruising 6"6, can quickly come in and create a fearsome troika with Sol Mercado and Mac Cardona by anchoring the Bolts' defense. If he still has the same game we saw last at San Sebastian, then the bolts are in good shape. If he somehow forgot all the post-up moves that made him a monster with the Stags because of being buried at Smart Gilas, then Meralco is going to be in for another long season.
8 Barako Bull/ Allein Maliksi
Surprise first round pick? Or is he? Well, he IS a PBA Developmental League MVP and that's always going to be hard to argue against (he won it over Calvin "The Beast" Abueva too so that says a lot). I haven't really seen much of Maliksi to make a proper diagnosis, but reports have it that he has improved tremendously since that forgettable stint at UST.
9 Barangay Ginebra/ Reil Cervantes
Finally! Ginebra goes against Jong Uichico's long and storied tradition of opting for guards and going for an actual center/ banger. He could've gone with Ken Acibar with this pick, but opted for the more polished, workhorse Cervantes who doesn't really need the ball to be effective. The guy played with names like Barroca, Baracael and that other dude who were pretty much 100% of FEU's offense and settled for scraps. I do recall however, that Cervantes more than held his own against UST's man-mountain Jervy Cruz (before he lost all the weight for the PBA and disappeared completely because of being an undersized PF).
10 Barako Bull/ Dylan Ababou
Are we sleeping on Ababou? Yes. But rightfully so. I would even go far as saying that minus the Smart Gilas bench stint, Ababou's performance the last two years merits him a second round pick, not first. Where will Ababou fit in the Bulls' rotation? Well, there's a void in the 4 spot that he can pick up should Danny Seigle be switched to the 3-spot/ or get injured. I don't really expect anything from the former UAAP MVP, we've seen it before. He can play, he's proven that, but he only plays when he's motivated or trying to prove something to someone (which he isn't at most times).
Other notable picks:
11 Shopinas.Com/ Magi Sison
I pray that Magi Sison has the same genetic structure as Arwind Santos. Or fellow rook Paul Lee hands him some-hundred boxes of Appeton. He has legit post moves, but not the bulk to bang. What I don't like about Sison is that he's as slow-footed as Marlou Aquino minus the height and heft which is crucial in today's ultra-athletic and competitive PBA.
13 Alaska/ Eric Salamat
Not good enough to steal minutes away from Cyrus Baguio, but definitely a better option for Tim Cone as a backup at the 2 or even for star guard L.A. Tenorio. Salamat plays solid man-to-man defense and has also shown some spunk and fearlessness when the going gets tough.
14 Alaska/ Julius Pasculado
The Internet world loves him and has even made mix-tapes, but it's quite obvious that Cone opted to play the safe card by drafting Salamat first. We still don't know enough about Pasculado, and how he would fit in a system as strict as Alaska's. Either it works out and Cone finally gets that elusive star at the SG since Kenneth Duremdes OR Pasculado fades into obscurity and we write about Salamat and how his salute could earn him a new monicker from Quinito Henson: Sergeant. Get it? When he plays beside "The Lieutenant" Tenorio? I can see the stupid grin from Henson's face right now the minute Salamat receives a nice, behind the back kick-out pass from Tenorio, buries a three and salutes the Aces' crowd.
19 Ken Acibar/ Barako Bull
Maliksi, Ababou and now Acibar? I say that the Bulls went in the PBA Draft with a plan and executed it to perfection. They added guys who could play the wings and have enough to switch to PF. If everything works out the way I picture it to be, we'll see a line-up of Wyne Arboleda, Willie Miller, Maliksi, Ababou and Pena with Acibar as a building block for the future. What I also love about the pick is that Acibar will learn how to rebound like a man from the best of 'em in Pena.
All-in-all, it was a solid draft as far as local talent is concerned. Yes, there was an obvious shortage of big men and starpower outside of Smart Gilas, but from a talent standpoint, guys from one to 11 are all good enough to start for any PBA team NOW as compared to previous years' wherein we'd have only two to three recognizable names and PBA-ready guys.
1 Powerade/ Jayvee Casio
After making it known that they were on "rebuilding" mode following the trade of Dennis Espino, acquisition of Doug Kramer, Rob Reyes' early retirement and release of Chico Lanete, Powerade had two choices: build with a PG or a Center. From top to bottom it was pretty ascertain that this was the year of the guards. Coach Bo Perasol has made it known even before that they were going with Casio, and get him they did. He's a shoo-in to start for the Tigers and has the size and touch to keep defenders honest. And if the events that ultimately led to the ugly Wyne-gate is any indication of his mental toughness, then the Tigers definitely got themselves a keeper/ franchise PG.
2 Rain or Shine/ Paul Lee
One look at Lee and you just know that he's a Yeng Guiao type of guy. His college coach, Lawrence Tiongson practically preaches the same hard-nosed, run and attack system. With Lee, Guiao finds himself with a quality player who is craftier than lead PG TY Tang and proven more consistent than on again-off again option at SG Ryan Buenafe.
3 Petron/ Chris Lutz
How on earth did Petron get their greasy (and I say that with all disgust since this brand, after winning the title, raised gas prices on us Pinoys lol) hands on this pick? Not only did they manage to get a solid wing who can defend and shoot, but they were also able to reacquire the services of a guy who will probably be Lutz' mentor 'til the Fil-Am rookie gets his feet wet in Dondon Hontiveros.
4 Powerade / Marcio Lassiter
The rebuilding continues for Powerade, who were so bad last season that they had no choice but to reactivate Will Antonio's career for stretches. If Perasol can be convinced to run a Casio-Lassiter backcourt, then there's not a doubt in my mind that this will be one of the more exciting teams in the PBA. Casio to provide the clutch, Lassiter to act as slasher/ defender in that Ronald Tubid role.
5 Shopinas.Com/ Andy Barroca
As you all know, B-Meg decided to reinforce an old trade clause so Barroca's definitely headed to the Llamados regardless. What Shopinas.com should do here is ask for concessions and not to simply just give the pick to B-Meg. Best return would be PJ Simon or even a Joe DeVance. If not, then this was a wasted pick as far as Shopinas.com is concerned. B-Meg needs a PG to spell Roger Yap and eventually take over, and that's what they got in steady Andy Barroca whose slashing ways could create huge openings for volume shooters like James Yap and Simon.
6 Alaska/ Mac Baracael
Other than being the best available talent left on the table, I don't know where Baracael fits in exactly other than to become Tony Dela Cruz' eventual replacement at the wing position. It would be fun to see if Tim Cone can get through Baracael who has a tendency to lose focus in games and wave off orders from the bench.
7 Meralco / Jason Ballesteros
This pick makes the most sense as far as addressing a need is concerned. Asi Taulava is a relic who should be brushed off only for international tournaments while Marlou Aquino is just a sad case. Ballesteros, at a bruising 6"6, can quickly come in and create a fearsome troika with Sol Mercado and Mac Cardona by anchoring the Bolts' defense. If he still has the same game we saw last at San Sebastian, then the bolts are in good shape. If he somehow forgot all the post-up moves that made him a monster with the Stags because of being buried at Smart Gilas, then Meralco is going to be in for another long season.
8 Barako Bull/ Allein Maliksi
Surprise first round pick? Or is he? Well, he IS a PBA Developmental League MVP and that's always going to be hard to argue against (he won it over Calvin "The Beast" Abueva too so that says a lot). I haven't really seen much of Maliksi to make a proper diagnosis, but reports have it that he has improved tremendously since that forgettable stint at UST.
9 Barangay Ginebra/ Reil Cervantes
Finally! Ginebra goes against Jong Uichico's long and storied tradition of opting for guards and going for an actual center/ banger. He could've gone with Ken Acibar with this pick, but opted for the more polished, workhorse Cervantes who doesn't really need the ball to be effective. The guy played with names like Barroca, Baracael and that other dude who were pretty much 100% of FEU's offense and settled for scraps. I do recall however, that Cervantes more than held his own against UST's man-mountain Jervy Cruz (before he lost all the weight for the PBA and disappeared completely because of being an undersized PF).
10 Barako Bull/ Dylan Ababou
Are we sleeping on Ababou? Yes. But rightfully so. I would even go far as saying that minus the Smart Gilas bench stint, Ababou's performance the last two years merits him a second round pick, not first. Where will Ababou fit in the Bulls' rotation? Well, there's a void in the 4 spot that he can pick up should Danny Seigle be switched to the 3-spot/ or get injured. I don't really expect anything from the former UAAP MVP, we've seen it before. He can play, he's proven that, but he only plays when he's motivated or trying to prove something to someone (which he isn't at most times).
Other notable picks:
11 Shopinas.Com/ Magi Sison
I pray that Magi Sison has the same genetic structure as Arwind Santos. Or fellow rook Paul Lee hands him some-hundred boxes of Appeton. He has legit post moves, but not the bulk to bang. What I don't like about Sison is that he's as slow-footed as Marlou Aquino minus the height and heft which is crucial in today's ultra-athletic and competitive PBA.
13 Alaska/ Eric Salamat
Not good enough to steal minutes away from Cyrus Baguio, but definitely a better option for Tim Cone as a backup at the 2 or even for star guard L.A. Tenorio. Salamat plays solid man-to-man defense and has also shown some spunk and fearlessness when the going gets tough.
14 Alaska/ Julius Pasculado
The Internet world loves him and has even made mix-tapes, but it's quite obvious that Cone opted to play the safe card by drafting Salamat first. We still don't know enough about Pasculado, and how he would fit in a system as strict as Alaska's. Either it works out and Cone finally gets that elusive star at the SG since Kenneth Duremdes OR Pasculado fades into obscurity and we write about Salamat and how his salute could earn him a new monicker from Quinito Henson: Sergeant. Get it? When he plays beside "The Lieutenant" Tenorio? I can see the stupid grin from Henson's face right now the minute Salamat receives a nice, behind the back kick-out pass from Tenorio, buries a three and salutes the Aces' crowd.
19 Ken Acibar/ Barako Bull
Maliksi, Ababou and now Acibar? I say that the Bulls went in the PBA Draft with a plan and executed it to perfection. They added guys who could play the wings and have enough to switch to PF. If everything works out the way I picture it to be, we'll see a line-up of Wyne Arboleda, Willie Miller, Maliksi, Ababou and Pena with Acibar as a building block for the future. What I also love about the pick is that Acibar will learn how to rebound like a man from the best of 'em in Pena.
All-in-all, it was a solid draft as far as local talent is concerned. Yes, there was an obvious shortage of big men and starpower outside of Smart Gilas, but from a talent standpoint, guys from one to 11 are all good enough to start for any PBA team NOW as compared to previous years' wherein we'd have only two to three recognizable names and PBA-ready guys.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Shopinas.Com Clickers ready to make an impact
If Shiela Lina and newly signed head coach Franz Pumaren are to be believed, we are looking at perhaps a future title contender in the PBA with a team anchored on Pumaren's uptempo yet defensive-minded philosophy.
As of this writing, the franchise still holds the rights to Barako Bulls' players who were adopted via the dispersal draft namely: Marlou Aquino, Pong Escobal, Jojo Duncil, Lordy Tugade, Borgie Hormida and Aries Dimaunahan. That, plus the fifth overall pick in this Sunday's PBA draft.
Given the order of drafting, it would be safe to assume that the Clickers would land either Mac Barracael or Marcio Lassiter (as the top three would probably be a toss up among Jayvee Casio, Paul Lee and Andy Barroca) which isn't all that bad. Far from it. Lassiter could be a diamond in the rough if given more freedom (he has game and spunk) while Baracael is a legit PBA-ready player who can be asked to switch from SG, SF all the way up to PF on both offense and defense.
Of the BB list, only Borgie Hermida and Jojo Duncil should be given a look at the very least. Aquino's just a basketball player by name, Escobal's just another warm body while who knows when Tugade and Dimaunahan will start breaking down due to age and injuries?
Either way, expect Pumaren to tap into some UAAP standouts who are plying their trade over at Liga Pilpinas (a lot of UST and ADMU names are associated with SMART Pampanga) or the ABL.
On a lighter note, I have trouble understanding why the Air21 Express would even bother changing their name into Barako Bull (which will now be known as Shopinas.Com). I understand that these are two separate PBA franchises, but they are owned by pretty much the same team. Why couldn't Air21 just carry Shopinas.Com and leave Barako Bull as is, or bring back the Burger King Whoppers (which I love since the PBA looks so much better when the teams are all well-known brands).
Also, wouldn't it be funny if Shiela Lina and Shopinas.com become the new Air21 in more ways than one? Like having its own private website for teams looking to make upgrades via trade? Each Clicker will have his own website complete with downloadable PDF profile, stats and a YouTube mixtape for scouts/ other teams to view and a counter to place their bids? Yeah. You heard/read it here first! Online shopping is the way of the future!
As of this writing, the franchise still holds the rights to Barako Bulls' players who were adopted via the dispersal draft namely: Marlou Aquino, Pong Escobal, Jojo Duncil, Lordy Tugade, Borgie Hormida and Aries Dimaunahan. That, plus the fifth overall pick in this Sunday's PBA draft.
Given the order of drafting, it would be safe to assume that the Clickers would land either Mac Barracael or Marcio Lassiter (as the top three would probably be a toss up among Jayvee Casio, Paul Lee and Andy Barroca) which isn't all that bad. Far from it. Lassiter could be a diamond in the rough if given more freedom (he has game and spunk) while Baracael is a legit PBA-ready player who can be asked to switch from SG, SF all the way up to PF on both offense and defense.
Of the BB list, only Borgie Hermida and Jojo Duncil should be given a look at the very least. Aquino's just a basketball player by name, Escobal's just another warm body while who knows when Tugade and Dimaunahan will start breaking down due to age and injuries?
Either way, expect Pumaren to tap into some UAAP standouts who are plying their trade over at Liga Pilpinas (a lot of UST and ADMU names are associated with SMART Pampanga) or the ABL.
On a lighter note, I have trouble understanding why the Air21 Express would even bother changing their name into Barako Bull (which will now be known as Shopinas.Com). I understand that these are two separate PBA franchises, but they are owned by pretty much the same team. Why couldn't Air21 just carry Shopinas.Com and leave Barako Bull as is, or bring back the Burger King Whoppers (which I love since the PBA looks so much better when the teams are all well-known brands).
Also, wouldn't it be funny if Shiela Lina and Shopinas.com become the new Air21 in more ways than one? Like having its own private website for teams looking to make upgrades via trade? Each Clicker will have his own website complete with downloadable PDF profile, stats and a YouTube mixtape for scouts/ other teams to view and a counter to place their bids? Yeah. You heard/read it here first! Online shopping is the way of the future!
Monday, August 22, 2011
The Top 10 names in the 2011 PBA Draft
While some fans have bought into the Media hype that this is the deepest draft in recent memory, I choose to argue otherwise and that only about 10 to 12 guys will make it as rotation players in the PBA and about three to four as legit, potential PBA superstars.

1 JAYVEE CASIO
There's no other player in the country at present who has made a better argument for himself or raised his value draft-wise as Casio. Be it as a clutch shooter for San Beda and De La Salle or more recently, as SMART Gilas' go-to-guy and heady point guard with nerves of steel and balls the size of grapefruits.
2 PAUL LEE
Lee lost some steam by opting out of the SMART Gilas program (probably because he didn't want to play behind lesser talent *cough* Chris Tiu *cough* before wanting in late and finally settling in the PBA's Developmental League. But make no mistake about it, of all the names on the table, Lee is arguably the best and proven player pound for pound on both ends of the court. Everyone knows he can score, but then he went out of his way to learn how to play team ball at UE and later on, adding man-to-man defense as well as how to transition from SG to PG when needed. There's not a doubt in my mind that if given the right opportunities, Lee will blossom into a PBA superstar.
3 ANDY BARROCA
Another FEU point-god who was burning players in the international level before Casio's ascension, Barroca is that rare combination of speed and intelligence lost in today's flashier point guards. Think UAAP L.A. Tenorio (he slowed down a bit in the PBA), minus the step back three ball and that's pretty much how Barroca is as a point guard (and taller). One thing going for him is that, he doesn't mind coming off the bench and always follows his coaches to the "T."
4 MARCIO LASSITER
There's a lot going for Lassiter in the draft, one of which is his US pedigree. Another thing I've grown to like about the Fil-Am wing is that he seems to play with a lot of intensity and is fearless. He's hit big shots for SMART Gilas before, and he plays the type of pesky defense that old school coaches like Yeng Guiao, Jong Uichico and Ato Agustin love.
5 MAC BARACAEL
The only positions that Baracael can't play, or at least we haven't seen him as, are shooting guard and center. Other than that, Baracael follows in that new line of Filipino wings who can play defense, shoot, run and jump out of the gym (okay, maybe not so much). At the moment, Baracael is the only player other than Paul Lee who may be considered as "PBA big minutes" ready.
6 ERIC SALAMAT
Here's the thing with Ateneans and other champion UAAP players: you can't really tell how good they are because of their school's systems. Salamat, who's known as a key contributor off the bench, is exactly that. In short minutes, his passion and tenacity often lights up his teammates, the crowd as well as the scoreboard. In instances where he's asked to player longer, he shows that he is prone to fouls and turnovers as well as some bone headed plays here and there. Can he be a starter at SG? For lower seeded teams yes, but he is a back-up PG at best.
7 CHRIS LUTZ
Another SMART Gilas Fil-Am wing who appears to be a solid system player who can shoot and defend. The only thing that bothers me really and has left me unconvinced is that, he doesn't seem to have that same fire as his teammates Casio, Lassiter, Barroca and Baracael. Almost like he's going through the motions and is content to be a solid rotation player-- not a star.
8 DYLAN ABABOU
People will sleep on Ababou because, quite frankly, he's been sleeping on us the entire time with Smart Gilas. He wasn't able to win over Rajko Toroman and land a spot on the regular rotation, so why would PBA teams take a chance on the former UAAP MVP other than his affiliation? Personally, I want Ababou to end up with a losing team, just so he can be thrown out there in an instant, get his confidence up and show that old MVP form of his as the closest thing we have to a Jun Limpot (big man with legit skills and a high basketball IQ).
He's big, he can bang and he has legit, back-to-the-basket moves. In a UAAP dream world without Jhervy Cruz, Rabah Al Hussaini or Ford Arao, Cervantes could be the best slotman coming out of college. Right now, his game is more polished than that of Alaska's Sonny Thoss. Hopefuly, his fire can make up for his lack of height.
10 ALLEN MALIKSI
No one knows about Maliksi other than his recent stint as PBA D-League MVP (which I feel should've gone to Calvin "The Beast" Abueva). I've seen a few of his games and yes, he can definitely shoot the ball with the best of them. But his lack in heft might hold him back and probably earn him a sure tryout spot for an ABL team (if Patrick Cabahug couldn't make it, then all bets are off unless this guy has great backers/handlers).
KKS SLEEPER: KEN ACIBAR
A.K.A. Paul Lee's favorite drop-to guy in the UAAP. This kid can play and already has the body of a young Danny Ildefonso. Hopefully he doesn't drop the ball and continues to build around a solid inside-out, Kerby-ish game.
Who's your Top 10 for this Sunday's draft?
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